DanielFoodDiary.com

[Hong Kong] If you are in Hong Kong and craving a cup of latte or an avocado toast, I believe a Traditional Chinese Medicine Hall would be the last place to look.

Many modern-styled cafés are popping up but Tai Wo Tang is going the opposite direction – by updating a Traditional Medicinal Hall which has been around since the 1930s.

The first thing you will notice is the vintage signboard “大和堂” and stepping into the café, it is almost like a walk down nostalgia lane.

Without overhauling too much of the décor, the café has retained the hundred-year-old dispensary-style cabinets, the iron gates and some of the original plaques.

The owners have also added some modern café vibes, giving the entire space, a modern twist.

Apparently Tai Wo Tang (the medical hall, not the café) has been through 3 generations and witnessed the key historical events in Hong Kong – Japanese occupation and the return of Hong Kong to China.

It was shut down in 2017 but was revived the following year into a café.

Located in Kowloon City, the best way to get there is either via a cab or a train to Kowloon Tong MTR station followed by a short cab ride there.

Serving the usual café grub items like English Breakfast Plate, Avocado Toast, Greek YTogurt Nuesli and so on. You get the drift.

Though their menu is quite basic, they still have a couple of more interesting items like Crispy Fried Chicken with Hong Kong style Egglet Waffles.

This can be paired with traditional Chinese tea brews like “Dampness Dispelling Tea” and “Vitality Tea”.

I ordered their Signature Tai Wo Tang Latte (HKD 48, SGD8.50), which is a Western version of the Yuan Yang (or Yuen Yeung in Cantonese).

This classic Hong Kong beverage is basically a mixture of milk coffee and milk tea but instead of the local brew; they have created a “Western” version mixing Earl Grey and cafe latte and slightly sweetened with local honey.

Overall, I enjoyed the beverage but just can’t pinpoint what I am drinking.

Perhaps not something for serious coffee drinkers but better for people who won’t mind tasting something ambiguous.

The Café Latte (HKD 40, SGD7) was not too bad.

The Tai Wo Tang Burger (HKD138, SGD24) came with thick beef patty from organic grass-fed cow, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, pickles and served with a side of fries with truffle mayonnaise.

While the burger was juicy and of a good standard for a café, for that price you can find more quality ones in proper burger joints.

The Egg Benedict with Smoked Salmon (HKD98, SGD17) ticked the usual boxes – runny egg yolk, homemade-tasting hollandaise sauce, good sour dough toast.

A safe choice if you just want something hearty but not too heavy for breakfast.

The food and drinks here are on the pricier side, even for Hong Kong standards.

For a café with such a distinct theme, my only qualm is I wished there were more “unconventional” food offerings on the menu since it seems Avocado Toast and Egg Benedict are like a standard cookie-cutter café food in Hong Kong (and everywhere else).

Nevertheless, it is still interesting to visit mainly for the “feel” and look of this place and have some token instagram shot taken at the door.

Tai Wo Tang Cafe
24 Nga Tsin Long Road, Kowloon City, Kowloon Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2623 2006
Opening Hours: 8:00am – 6:00pm (Mon – Fri), 9:00am – 7:00pm (Sat, Sun, PH)

Click HERE for other HONG KONG Food Entries

* Written by DFD’s Hong Kong Correspondent @kara_the_explorer, who is the Singaporean “tai tai” living the foodie dream in Hong Kong. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Chomp Chomp Food Centre at Serangoon Garden is popular as a supper place, good especially when you have occasional late-night cravings for Hokkien Mee, Satay and Chicken Wings.

So plan your visit as most of the stalls start their daily business from 5:30pm onwards.

Located closest to the MRT Lorong Chuan station, Chomp Chomp Food Centre is commuter-friendly and is also accessible via bus (73,136,315,317).

Walking from Exit A of Lorong Chuan will probably take you about 20 minutes. Otherwise, cab or GRAB there, or find a friend who drives.

Something to note is many stalls serve similar hawker food, such as Carrot Cake, Oyster Omelette, BBQ Chicken Wings, BBQ Seafood, and Hokkien Mee. They all can be categorised ‘heaty’, and so quench your thirst with one of the many Sugar Cane juice stalls.

For a first timer, it can be hard to gauge which are the more note-worthy stalls, especially when there are no visual cues such as a queue. Food is generally sent to your table, but do sit somewhere near where you order.

After a poll done on @DanielFoodDiary’s Instagram and trying out most, here are the 10 recommended hawker stalls at Chomp Chomp.

Ah Hock Fried Hokkien Mee 亚福炒福建虾面
Stall #27, 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269
Opening Hours: 5:30pm – 12am (Mon, Wed – Sun); Closed Tues

Easiest one of the most popular and known stall at Chomp Chomp. There is always a long queue here, so be prepared for the long wait of at least 30 – 45 minutes while uncle whips up your order.

Their Fried Hokkien Mee ($3, $4, $5) is a mixture of thick yellow noodles and thin bee hoon noodles combined with prawns and squid and simmered in a rich prawn-flavoured broth. Served with sambal chili (very delicious) and calamansi.

What I liked about the plate: The base was rich; the prawns fresh and you could still taste its natural sweetness.

If you love lard, you will be in for a shock since there are none of those crispy bits added.

I thought there could have been more wok-hei and so it lacked of that “wow” factor”. Perhaps it has to be with the hour I went – gone down quite late to avoid a long queue. Ah Hock Fried Hokkien Mee (Serangoon Garden)

Chia Keng Hokkien Mee
Stall #11, 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269
Opening Hours: 5pm – 1am (Mon – Sun)

There are fans who prefer Chia Keng’s version to Ah Hock’s. I can understand why.

This is a wetter and more saucy version, with the magic lying in the stock that imparts this sweetness to the dish. Eat it while it is hot, and you would appreciate its wok-hei. The chilli sauce was also quite delicious.

However, I tried it another time and the flavours were not as robust. Plus, the stall doesn’t seem to be opened everyday – as indicated on Google.

Servings are priced at $3.50, $4, $5, and $8 with generous ingredients of prawns, tender pork belly, and crispy pork lard.

Waiting time is about 20 to 40 minutes, and can be longer if you head down during peak hours.

Chomp Chomp Satay
Stall #34, 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269
Opening Hours: 5:30pm – 12am (Mon – Sun)

Two stalls are listed in the Singapore Michelin Guide with a “Michelin Plate”, which are Ah Hock Fried Hokkien Mee and Chomp Chomp Satay.

Priced at $0.70 per stick, the satay is available in pork, chicken, beef and mutton or ketupat, served with pineapple peanut sauce.

I ordered a combination of pork and chicken, and their well-marinated skewered satay meats are not overcooked so they turn out still tender and succulent.

Their charred exterior added a nice smoky taste that complemented the accompanying traditional peanut sauce.

Ang Mo Kio 409 Fried Carrot Cake
Stall #24, 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269
Opening Hours: 4pm – 11:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

This stall is famous for both its Fried Oyster ($5, $8, $10, $12), and Carrot Cake ($3, $4, $5).

While a number of online reviews sing praises of its Orh Luak (which I thought was more to the starchy side and would prefer more eggs), I thought that the more stand-out dish was its Chye Tow Kueh.

Its Carrot Cake comes in both the white and black variety, and pay $5 and you can get a yuan-yang plate of half and half.

The white version had a slight crispy texture, contrasted with its soft and smooth radish cake which was quite pleasurable. The black version was also not bad, but I would prefer more distinct flavours of the sweet black sauce.

Ang Sa Lee Oyster Omelette
Stall #33, 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269
Opening Hours: 5pm – 11pm (Mon – Sun)

So in terms of Oyster Omelette, I personally prefer this stall. Its oysters were plump and juicy, and its sour-spicy chilli deserve a mention.

Ang Sa Lee stall serves up both Fried Oyster aka Orh Jian ($5, $8, $10) and Oyster Omelette ($6, $8, $10).

What I liked was the lack of excessive starch (which some hawker stalls can gear to), and it is generous with the among of egg.

However, its eggs were fried to the more ‘soggy’ style without those crispy edges as I would have preferred, and could be a little greasy.

Swee Heng Wanton Noodle
Stall #12, 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269
Opening Hours: 5pm – 1am (Mon – Sun)

This is a stall you might have missed as it is located at one corner. I noted it as out of so many fried noodle places HERE, this stands out. (Okay, a friend who grew up at Serangoon Garden told me this is the only thing he eats here. Opps.)

Swee Heng offers Wanton Noodles, Spinach Wanton Noodles, Chicken Feet Noodles, and Prawn Dumpling Noodles, priced at $4 or $5.

While the Wanton Mee ($4) is not considered spectacular if you compare to the famous stalls elsewhere, but it had an appealing old-school taste.

The noodles were springy, had good portion of char siew, and tasty soup.

It is quite affordable and filling, and you won’t have to wait too long to get a plate, as the serving is swift and efficient.

Carrot Cake
Stall #36, 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269
Opening Hours: 5:30pm – 12am (Mon – Sun)

Many people recommended “the Carrot Cake stall at the corner” when asked about Chomp Chomp.

Thereis no special name to this stall, with a white and red signboard that just states “CARROT CAKE”. It is hard to miss amidst a swarm of colorful signboards.

It serves up flavourful White and Black version of the Carrot Cake, BUT no mixed yuan-yang style.

The stall has a decent amount of crowd at all times, and you have to wait around 20 minutes to get served.

Go for the White Carrot Cake ($3, $4, $5) if you prefer SOME crispiness and chye poh which added a nice-savoury kick; but its Black version seems to be the more popular choice here with more intense flavours and hints of sweetness.

Chong Pang Huat
Stall #26, 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269
Opening Hours: 5pm – 12am (Mon – Sun)

So many BBQ Chicken Wings stall – which to choose? Many readers told me to go for Chong Pang Huat.
Chong Pang Huat specialises in barbecue items, namely Spring Chicken ($10) and Chicken Wings ($1.40 each, minimum order 2 pieces).

I thought that the Chicken Wings were indeed not bad, better than the average stall. The wings grilled till golden-brown were well marinated with tasty-savoury skin, matched with juicy meat. The chilli sauce while slightly diluted, packed some kick.

The aromatic charred fragrance may just make you hungrier.

Ah Mai Satay Bee Hoon, Hainan Beef Noodles
Stall #17, 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269
Opening Hours: 4:30pm – 11pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

The only stall at Chomp Chomp Food Centre that sells BOTH traditional Hainanese Beef Noodles ($6, $8, $10) and Satay Bee Hoon ($5, $7, $9).

Kind of strange, as I seldom see both sold at the same place.

Plus, they also serve up other interesting dishes such as Crispy Mushroom Platter ($18, $20), Fried Pumpkin ($6, $8, $10), Fried Chives Roll ($6, $8, $10), Crispy Chicken ($8, $10, $12), and Fried Wanton ($5). I suppose it is to satisfy Chomp Chomp customers’ penchant for fried/deep-fried food.

The Satay Bee Hoon had gravy with an interesting tang – was divided on it; though the peanuts were crunchy and aromatic.

Ayman Alam Desserts (Traditional Cheng Tng)
Stall #13, 20 Kensington Park Rd, Singapore 557269
Tel: +65 97865544
Opening Hours: 4:30pm – 12:30am (Mon – Sun)

For a food centre with so many ‘heaty’ dishes, I wonder why so few dessert stalls around.

Two interesting aspects to this stall: it serves up JUST Cheng Tng; and the stall is Muslim-owned.

Their Cheng Tng ($2.80) was indeed refreshing, and the perfect way to beat the heat of this food centre.

Also note-worthy is that the bowl was chock-full of ingredients, from candied winter melon to soft sweet potatoes. Thankfully, not overly sweet too.

The only thing I wished were that the cold version was served with crushed ice rather than ice cubes.

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

During the last year or so, Bubble Tea has enjoyed a new round of resurgence in Singapore.

People who grew up in the ‘era’ of Quickly, Cool Station and Milk Girl (gosh, I feel old), would find this all so, so familiar.

Except that “Bubble Tea” takes on slightly different form, with more fanciful packaging, colours, and variants from Brown Sugar Milk Tea, Fruit Teas, and Cheese Teas.

Some of the high profile openings include HEYTEA Singapore 喜茶, Tiger Sugar, Nayuki 奈雪の茶, and the coming The Alley 斜角巷, and other known brands such as Xing Fu Tang 幸福堂 and Milksha 迷客夏 will be opening in June (if no further delay).

Some openings are well, more low-profile than others. Yifang Tea for example, is quite a prominent name in Taiwan and elsewhere, but has been very quiet in Singapore (though I think their drinks are not bad). There were some Fruit Tea shops that opened with a “bang”, but are feeling the heat of the competition.

These are 10 famous bubble/cheese tea brands that arrived (or are coming) to Singapore:

HEYTEA Singapore
ION Orchard Mall, 2 Orchard Turn, #B4-29, Singapore 238801 (Orchard MRT)
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm

HEYTEA 喜茶 which is China’s most popular tea brand, launched its 1st overseas shop in Singapore, right at ION Orchard basement 4. Its 2nd brand is at Clarke Quay, known for its alcoholic Bubble Tea – I am still not quite sure about that.

They are THE original creators of the iconic “cheese tea” (not anyone else), which has gained fame around the world.

You have probably seen other tea brands with similar drinking-boy logos, but THIS is the real McCoy.

As for the menu in HEYTEA, they offer a wide range of offerings catering to different palates: Cheezo Tea, Pure Tea, Berry Mango Family, and Fruity Boom.

The recommended is the King Fone Cheezo Tea ($5.50), which uses premium oolong tea leaves that have been specially harvested for HEYTEA.

As you drink the tea, you could taste that lingering oolong with some of that unique smokiness, as the tea leaves have undergone a special smoking process that brings out the fragrance. HEYTEA Singapore 喜茶 (ION Orchard)

The Alley Singapore – Jewel Changi Airport
78 Airport Boulevard Jewel Changi Airport #B2-273 Singapore 819666
Opening Hours: 24 hours

The Alley is a well-known Taiwanese beverage chain founded in Taichung, Taiwan in 2013.

After 5 years, it has rapidly expanded to over 300 outlets around the world including Japan, Korea, France, Australia, USA, and finally to Singapore.

The brand, represented by an iconic large-antlered deer, is famous for Deerioca, The Alley’s signature freshly-prepared hand-crafted tapioca pearls.

Manually measured, sifted, mixed and formed, the pearls achieve a better texture and aroma compared to its machine-produced counterparts.

Its 3 signature drinks are the Brown Sugar Deerioca Fresh Milk ($5.30), Brown Sugar Deerioca Matcha Fresh Milk ($6.30), and Brown Sugar Deerioca Cocoa Milk ($6.30). The slightly sweet boba pearls are satisfying to the bite because of its texture. I found that the texture was just right – not too hard or soft.

Opened at Jewel Changi Airport, next at Orchard Cineleisure. The Alley Singapore (Jewel Changi Airport)

Tiger Sugar Singapore – Orchard Paragon
Paragon Shopping Centre #B1-39/40, 290 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238859
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Last order 9.50pm)

Tiger Sugar Singapore – Capitol Singapore
Capitol Singapore #B2-32, 13 Stamford Road, Singapore 178905
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Tiger Sugar Singapore – Chinatown Point
133 New Bridge Road #B1-42 Singapore 059413
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Tiger Sugar 老虎堂 has quite a successful opening (s) in Singapore, at the basement of Capitol Singapore and Chinatown Point basement, and Orchard Paragon.

The “Tiger Sugar” name came about from the ‘tiger stripes’ formed when the dark brown sugar syrup interacts with the thick milk in the cup.

However, you cannot customise the sugar level, amount of ice or toppings, compared to all the other bubble tea brands.

The main best sellers are the Brown Sugar Boba Milk with Cream Mousse ($5.30), Brown Sugar Boba with Pearls with Cream Mousse ($5.30) and Brown Sugar Pearl Milk with Cream Mousse ($5.30).

Still going on quite strong. Tiger Sugar Singapore (Capitol Piazza)

Nayuki – Vivocity
Vivocity, #01-207 1 Harbourfront Walk, Singapore 098585 (Harbourfront MRT)
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

With over 180 stores across China and well-loved by celebrities, this flagship at Vivocity is Nayuki’s 1st overseas outlet.

The key feature of Nayuki is that it pairs premium fresh-fruit teas and soft euro bread. The brand is considered the pioneer of this concept, inspiring a wave of tea bakeries across Asia.

Originating from Shenzhen, the brand is considered “hapz” in China with photos of several of the products going viral on various social media channels such as Weibo.

This is also not just a takeaway kiosk, but a café with stylish and comfortable sit-down area, where you can slowly sip tea and have bread.

Other than the specialty “Supreme Cheese Fruit Tea”, other offerings you can expect include “Supreme Fresh Fruit Tea”, “Cheese Famous Tea”, Pearl Fresh Milk Series, and Cold Brew Tea.

The recommended drink is the Supreme Cheese Strawberry ($8.30) which you can pair with bread. These strawberry products became so popular that the brand invested in a strawberry field to ensure premium strawberries of consistent quality are available all year round in China.

One of the few bubble tea (or should I say Cheese Tea) shops with a bakery in-house. Nayuki 奈雪の茶 (Vivocity)

Jenjudan Singapore 珍煮丹
1 CityLink Mall #B1-13 Singapore 039393
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Popular Taiwanese bubble tea brand Jenjudan 珍煮丹 has opened its first outlet in Singapore. The location is at CityLink Mall, #B1-13.

Jenjudan was born in the world-renowned Shilin Night Market 士林夜市 in Taipei during 2010.

The menu’s signature is the Brown Sugar Boba Milk ($5.20, $6.50), which features warm, soft brown sugar, and boba served with chilled fresh milk.

It was fun watching how a big scoop of the pearls were scooped up right before your eyes, stick and gooey and placed into the cup.

Compared to some other prominent brands I tried in Taipei, the “brown-sugarness” was considered more mellow, not as strong and full-flavoured. The boba though, had an agreeable, chewy bite.

Considering its fame in other cities, its momentum is considered slow in Singapore, probably due to its location and lack of marketing. Jenjudan Singapore 珍煮丹 (CityLink Mall)

TaiGai
NEX Serangoon, #B2-34, Singapore 556083 (Opposite BreadTalk)
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Established in Shenzhen, TaiGai is a popular tea specialty brand in China with over 60 stores across the country, and is especially appealing to the youths. This is despite a competitive landscape where many international beverage chains are also aiming for a piece of the pie.

This NEX outlet in Singapore is its first overseas store.

TaiGai is the original creator behind the “Fruity Milky Kiss” – fruit-blended milk cheese crowns.

Essentially, they are drinks topped with milk cheese foam that has been blended with fruits, which add that natural sweetness as you take sips especially from the top layer. TaiGai 台盖 (NEX)

TP-Tea 茶湯會 Singapore – Changi Airport
Changi Airport, Terminal 2, Departure Hall #026-015-01, Singapore 819643
Opening Hours: 24 hours Daily

Chun Shui Tang 春水堂 is the parent company to the brand TP-Tea 茶湯會 which started in 2005, and TP Tea currently has over 300 outlets across the world.

Its first outlet in Singapore opened at Changi Airport Terminal 2 Departure Hall, right next to Krispy Kreme and Llao Llao, and has become Singapore’s FIRST 24 hours Taiwanese Bubble Tea Shop.

The bestseller and my personal favourite is the Tie Guan Yin Tea Latte ($4.60), which is a premium grade of Oolong Tea.

Crushed ice is used in all their drinks, and the good news is that we get to choose the level of sweetness and the amount of ice for each cup. TP-Tea 茶湯會 (Changi Airport)

TenRen Tea Singapore
Chinatown Point #01-07, 133 New Bridge Road Singapore 059413 (opposite McDonalds)
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

This is one of Taiwan’s leading tea chain TenRen’s Tea 天仁茗茶 , with its first Singapore retail outlet at Chinatown Point.

The 800-square feet store at Chinatown Point offers bubble tea, traditional tea drinks, as well as tea leaves, snacks and teaware.

In Singapore, TenRen’s menu features a range of ready-made drinks, including its signature 913 King’s Oolong Tea Latte ($3.50 for medium, $4.90 for large), Orange Green Tea ($4.00 for medium, $5.60 for large) and Taro Green Tea Latte ($4.70 for medium, $6.50 for large).

I find that their bubble tea has a particular tea fragrance that is very appealing, though they may not have as many exciting variants as compared to the ‘younger’ brands.

Their drinks also taste the ‘healthiest’ and are not too sweet. TenRen Tea 天仁茗茶 (Chinatown Point)

Xing Fu Tang Singapore
Century Square #01-22, 2 Tampines Central 5, Singapore 529509 (Opening June 2019)

Xing Fu Tang’s first Singapore perm outlet is stated to open at Century Square at the end of June.

For those who are more eager to try it out soon, it will be available at a pop-up at Takashimaya basement from 30th May to 16th June.

They are best known for its “stir-fried” Brown Sugar Boba Milk, with the pearls done the “traditional way”.

What is special is that the boba pearls are steeped in brown sugar, “stir-fried” in front of you, and scooped quickly into the cup.

The signature Brown Sugar Boba Milk is stated to be sold in Singapore at $5.30.

Other Xing Fu Tang signature drinks include Strawberry Boba Milk, Matcha Boba Milk, Grapefruit Green Tea, Brown Sugar Boba Black Tea Latte, Mango Smoothie and “Rabbit” Jelly, and Lemon Black Tea. Xing Fu Tang Singapore 幸福堂

Milksha 迷客夏
(Opening June 2019)

迷客夏 is known to be “The Fresh Milk Specialist”, and is opening in Singapore during June 2019.

Some of their Fresh Milk Specialty Drinks include Taro Milk, Izumo Matcha Milk, Red Bean Milk, White Gourd Milk, and Red Bean Sesame Milk.

[Bangkok] While Thonglor is known to be THE trendy neighbourhood bursting with activities which houses many hipster spaces such as The Commons, Roast (every Singaporean goes there), and Pacamara Coffee Roasters, this hidden gem located under a housing condominium may go unnoticed.

Furnished with monochrome and sleek fixtures, the minimal chic interior has proven to be the ideal photo spot for many instagrammers, which can be disruptive for regular patrons who just want to enjoy their quiet me-time.

No wonder there was a sign being put up stating, “No Fashion Photography allowed!”.

Luckily, I belong to the “food category”, and nobody would like to see my #OOTDs anyway.

The team behind Hands and Heart are absolutely passionate about coffee and source beans from around the world.

They also roast their own coffee and continuously educate the market by sharing coffee insights on their social media.

I went for the Clean Hands (THB 140, SGD6), which was basically white coffee coated with layer of caramel.

The blend was slightly dark roasted, which tasted more intense with notes of slight bitterness.

The caramel coating then complemented by balancing out the overall flavour.

For non-coffee drinkers, they also carry an interesting range of “Mama’s Herb Drinks”, like how Asian mum would always feed us with herb concoctions which are supposed to reap various health benefits.

The flavours available were extracts from commonly seen Thai ingredients such as Lemongrass, Roselle and Pandan Leaf.

I opted for the exotic-looking Butterfly Pea (THB 80, SGD3.40) which came refreshing, but to the extend of almost tasteless.

It is branded as a ‘healthy’ drink for a reason.

They also serve a small selection of bakes such as scones and croissants.

I ordered the tart-alike Happy Monkey (THB 100, SGD4.30) which came with chopped bananas drizzled with salted caramel sauce served on brioche toast.

While bananas with salted caramel sauce pairing wouldn’t go wrong, the brioche toast was slightly tough for my liking.

As the space has limited seats, you would probably have to visit early to secure a cosy spot for some me-time.

Hands and Heart
33 Sukhumvit 38 Alley, Khwaeng Phra Khanong, Khet Khlong Toei, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10110, Thailand (BTS Thonglor)
Opening Hours: 7am – 7pm Daily
https://www.facebook.com/handsandheartcoffee/
Google Maps – Hands and Heart

Click HERE for other BANGKOK Food Entries

* Written by Lewis Tan @juicyfingers, a self-proclaimed coffee addict. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

[Beijing] When I asked for Peking Duck recommendations in the capital city of China, the classy Da Dong Roast Duck 北京大董烤鸭 and mass-market Quanjude Roast Duck 全聚德 come most recommended.

Then there is Siji Minfu Restaurant Peking Roast Duck四季民福烤鸭店 at Deng Shi Kou Street 灯市口店, the award-winning Chinese restaurant which probably comes in between.

Each dish is prepared with an assortment of spices to retain its authenticity. It is anchored on ingredient seasonality and says no to MSG. WOW for a Chinese restaurant.

The décor at this restaurant is very authentic and follows a very Chinese-like architecture, complete with lanterns and traditional wood carvings.

Compared to the ultra-modern atmosphere of Da Dong, Siji Minfu is more classic, with a vibe that is satisfyingly local.

Turnover is quite fast – this isn’t an eat-then-hangout type place.

The menu is thick with too many dishes that it gets kind of overwhelming. For travellers, thankfully there is English translation.

On Page 1 alone, you get sections from “The Famous Beijing Cuisine”, “The Unforgettable Beijing Cuisine” and “The Famous Beijing Appetisers”, with a whole list of food items below.

This chain is popular for its authentic Peking duck, carved tableside. Locals and tourists alike line up out the door for the famed duck, expertly roasted so that the skin shatters while the flesh remains tender.

The duck is priced at RMB108 for half (SGD21.56, USD15.83), RMB198 (SGD39.53, USD29) for whole. A whole duck is easily enough of a meal for three to four people.

Take note there is additional RMB6 for the pancakes, and RMB5 per person for condiments.

Once the duck is ready, it is wheeled out into the dining room on a large platter by a knife-wielding chef.

Within seconds, the skin is removed from the breast of the duck in 3 wide strips. The meat underneath is completely undisturbed.

The tender duck breasts are cut out and sliced thinly on a bias. The meaty sections of the ducks thighs are sliced in half-moon shaped slivers.

The skin from the breast is sliced similarly, at an even sharper bias. Both thinly sliced duck meat is placed on a platter, topped off with the sliced skin from the back.

The rest of meat are carved off from the wings, drumsticks, neck, split head and the coveted “pope’s nose”.

Go ahead and dip the crispy duck skin slivers into sugar. As you bite, it almost instantly melts on your tongue along with some smoky duck fat.

You are given a basketful of paper-thin wheat-based pancakes to wrap the duck. The server will demonstrate how to do it if you are a foreigner.

Dip the meat (maybe 2-3 pieces) into the fermented bean sauce before laying onto the pancake. Add some pickles, scallion, and cucumber batons and then wrap.

Your meal ends with a bowl of creamy white Duck Bone Soup (additional RMB20) with choy sum, tofu and vermicelli.

It is intentionally bland to cleanse your palate of the rich flavour of duck.

Some of the other popular dishes to go along include Deep-Fried Meat Balls (RMB49), Deep-Fried Shrimp with Honey Sauce (RMB79), Kung Pao Shelled Shrimp (RMB138), and Mixed Bean Sprouts (RMB29).

While the price is not exactly very cheap and service seemed rushed, this is probably where you can get the Top 5 Peking Duck in Beijing, along with a variety of other dishes. Good for a sit-down dinner meal.

Located near Qianmen Street Main Station, prior booking is recommended as the place is almost always full.

Otherwise, I would recommend to go before typical dinner time such as 5pm. Take a number and wait for your number to be called. Expect to wait for about 30 – 120 minutes, depending on what time you arrive.

Siji Minfu (Deng Shi Kou)
四季民福烤鸭店(灯市口店)
32 Dengshikou W St, DongDan, Dongcheng Qu, Beijing Shi, China, 100006
东城区灯市口西街32号
Tel: +86 10 6513 5141
Opening Hours: 10:30am – 10:30pm
Google Maps – Siji Minfu

Click HERE for other BEIJING Food Entries

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Shake Shack has come to Singapore at Jewel Changi Airport, In-N-Out Burger not yet but at least they do occasional pop-ups, and Five Guys is “likely to open in Singapore” – that’s according to 8 Days.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries is a famous American fast casual restaurant chain, serving up hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, sandwiches and milkshakes.

And do you know that Five Guys was named “America’s favourite and most well-known burger brand” according to The Harris Poll’s annual EquiTrend Study. In-N-Out Burger was No. 2. Ouch!

Former US President Barack Obama is said to be a fan, and was caught on camera buying lunch at the Washington outlet.

Five Guys had humble beginnings and started out in Arlington, Virginia back in 1986 by the Murrell family, named because they had five brothers.

It has now nearly 1,500 locations worldwide, and definitely counting.

Singapore next? The next nearest would be technically Hong Kong, which has an outlet at 60 Johnston Road, Wan Chai.

No freezers. No microwaves. No timers. No can-openers. That is one of their tag-lines.

They don’t use frozen ingredients and cook everything fresh from scratch; prep food daily to ensure freshness; don’t use automated cooking timers and rely on instinctive senses.

I tried the branch at London’s Piccadilly Circus. (An interesting fact is that its first London outlet is on Long Acre at Covent Garden, officially opened one day before UK’s Shake Shack which is just 300m away.)

On the burger menu, you get choices of Hamburger (£7.25), Cheeseburger (£8.50), Bacon Burger (£9.00) and Bacon Cheese Burger (£9.75).

All these come with double patty. If you are a small eater, get the “Little Burgers”, and a Little Hamburger is priced at £4.95.

Buns are baked using free range eggs, beef is 120-day grain-finished from family-owned farms in Ireland and UK, and there will be two slices of American-style cheese between the two patties.

And you can choose to add ALL TOPPINGS, which means anything from lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushroom, ketchup, mustard to mayo.

Tell the cashier “all the way” if you want all of the above. Oh yes, the burgers are available “bunless”.

The burger is then placed in a foil wrapper, then thrown in a brown-bag.

The entire ordering process is quite fuss-free, as casual as it gets, so don’t expect table service.

First thing that I noted that it was very greasy, at least more than the usual fast-food burgers.

Took a first bite and it tasted better than the mess it looked. It was hearty, full of ‘oomph’, with a lot going on.

I wasn’t that much a fan of the bun, but the beef patty itself was flavourful and meaty. It wasn’t exactly juicy-juicy, but moist enough.

This should be better for two to share.

And so, I am generally a “Shake Shack” person, but I actually preferred Five Guys in London more than Shake Shack in London – which was kind of disappointing.

Another highlight would be its Fries (£2.95, £4.75, £5.25) available “Five Guys style” or Cajun style.

The potatoes are hand-cut daily, fried in peanut oil, and so do not taste artificial. Lightly crisp, with a good bite.

However, Time Magazine once reported that Five Guys’ French Fries contains 1,464 calories, and it was added to their list of “Top 10 Worst Fast Food Meals”. Oh-oh.

Read from 8 Days that Five Guys MAY come to Singapore end of the year. Fingers crossed.

Piccadilly Circus
Unit 1/2, Coventry Street, London W1D 7DH
Tel: 0207 734 6892
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 11:30pm (Mon – Thurs), 11:00am – 12:00am (Fri – Sat), 11:00am – 10:30pm (Sun)

Click HERE for other LONDON Food Entries

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Mazesoba, literally translated as “mixed noodles” is a type of broth-less ramen, particularly popular during the hotter summer months.

So even though there is “soba” in its name, the dish is technically “ramen”.

Japan’s most popular and largest restaurant Mazesoba chain Menya Kokoro is located at has arrived Suntec City Mall Level 3, Eat at Seven.

The Mazesoba specialist has included 3 new bowls recently, which are the Spicy Sakura Ebi Maze-Soba, Tokyo Beef Maze-Soba, and Curry Beef Mazedon, and 2 new side dishes. Here are the recommended items from Menya Kokoro Singapore:

Spicy Sakura Ebi Maze-Soba ($13.80++)
Sweet, fresh sakura ebi and fried whitebait are all tossed together in a heady combination of spring onions, chives, XO sauce, bonito flakes, garlic, ground saba fish powder, signature minced meat sauce, onsen egg, and tobiko for a flavour-packed dish.

I enjoy the crunch of the sakura ebi. While some people could find this a tad spicy, it was manageable for me but the kick still sent some sweat trickling down.

Tokyo Beef Maze-Soba ($15.80++)
Signature chewy maze soba topped with tender savoury-sweet sliced beef, Kokoro’s signature minced meat sauce, flowy onsen egg, ground saba fish powder and garnish.

Give the bowl a good mix and toss before consumption.

The most appealing part is the richly favoured minced meat sauce, slow-cooked Japanese-style with a secret recipe.

This may remind some of ”Zha Jiang Noodles” with a hint of spice, with a good deal of crunch coming from the chopped vegetables.

Curry Beef Mazeon Don ($15.80++)
The Singapore exclusives uses 100% Japanese rice instead of noodles, and topped with Maze-Soba toppings.

Special rice flown straight in from Hokkaido and Niigata is used, polished only upon order to preserve the aroma. Known as the “King of Japanese Rice”, the fluffy short-grained rice is compatible with stronger and richer flavours like the Maze-Soba toppings.

With curry sauce specially made in-house, succulent beef slices, signature minced meat sauce, onsen egg and toppings on fragrant Japanese rice.

Mentai Tamagoyaki ($4.80++)
One of my new favourites, of Japanese rolled omelette deep fried, and drizzled with in-house mentai mayo sauce for a touch of creaminess meets spiciness.

Japanese Oden ($4.80++)
Comforting bowl of Oden with traditional ingredients such as chikuwa, fresh daikon, satsuma age, and konbu in a hearty bowl of shoyu-based dashi broth.

Menya Kokoro Weekday Promotion (From 6th May 2019)
From 6 May onwards, diners can get 50% OFF their 2nd bowl of Maze-soba or Maze-don during dinner from 5:30pm to 9:00pm, from Mondays to Thursdays.

T&C:
– Promotion valid when 1st bowl ordered is thew new Spicy Sakura Ebi, Tokyo Beef Maze-Soba, or Curry Beef Maze-Don.
– 50% applies to the lower-priced bowl.
– Not applicable on eve of PH & PH.

You can also enjoy the Asahi Happy Hour Special with the “Buy 2 Get 1 FREE, Buy 6 Get 4 FREE” drink promotion from 1 May, available for the whole day. Each Asahi bottle U.P. $9.50.

Menya Kokoro
3 Temasek Boulevard # 03-313 Suntec City Mall Singapore 038983
Tel: +65 6235 3386
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/menyakokorosg/

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Menya Kokoro.

[London] It was a slice of the Cinnamon Social (£3.00) that made me fall in love with Ole and Steen.

Due to the convenience of its location, I would occasionally pop-up for a cuppa, cake or soup, but it was until tried the unassuming-looking pastry that made me go “WOW”.

With 8 sites across London, Ole and Steen is a revered bakery and patisserie that celebrates the best of Denmark.

Serving breads and pastries made by hand for over 20 years, Ole and Steen launched its first store outside Denmark the St. James’s Market in Christmas 2016.

Ole and Steen is founded by Ole Kristoffersen and Steen Skallebaek, two Danish bakery-owners who joined forces in 2008.

Both had the same vision to create something really special – the finest breads and pastries possible, baked fresh every day by hand in order to keep customers coming.

Today, the duo still does things the old way, using time-honed recipes handed down from generations. Their team of expert bakers work all day and night to ensure you get the freshest item whatever time to arrive in their store.

The flagship store is open from early morning to late at night, constantly bustling with happy customers who want a Danish breakfast to start their day.

Ole and Steen has vast amounts of double height open glass in its exterior allowing passers-by a no-restriction view of the inside.

Inside, the high ceilings and leather seating all add to the pleasant ambiance, but perhaps the best décor of all is the well-stocked bread and pastry display.

They offer an all-day dining menu, with everything from hand-made bread, premium soups & salads, artisan sandwich baguettes, cakes and pastries to single-estate coffee, tea, and cold-pressed juices.

For the buns, choose from classic ones like Chocolate Bun, Carrot Bun, Raisin Bun, Tea Bun or the more unique Chocolate Rye and Kloben Bun.

The Chocolate Rye (£1.50) is made with wholemeal rye and dark chocolate, then rolled with almonds and hazelnuts. Kloben Bun (£1.90) is a rustic looking soft bun with cardamom, giving the bun a hint of spice.

Or you can try their specialty rolls like the Danish Roll with Butter and Cheese (£2.80), available either in Salt & Pepper, Skagen or Olander Roll.

Choosing a pastry is not easy as your options are seemingly endless with different variants of croissants, slices, rolls and swirls.

Start with their Chocolate Swirl (£3) with chocolate, marzipan and chocolate icing; or Copenhagener (£3), a Danish pastry with marzipan paste and light poppy seeds. Both are great for the morning with a coffee or tea.

If you have space for only one, get The Cinnamon Social Slice (£3.00) with cinnamon and melt-in-your-mouth vanilla custard, recommended for pairing with Ole & Steen’s Kontra Coffee.

I mean, I am typically just OKAY with most cinnamon buns – they don’t thrill me as much as cakes. BUT that moist texture and smoothly-soft fillings. This was just magic.

Ole and Steen (London)
56 Haymarket St. St. James’s, London SW1Y 4RN, UK
+44 20 3828 8242
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 10pm (Mon – Thurs), 7:30am – 10:30pm (Fri), 8am – 10:30pm (Sat), 8am -10pm (Sun)
Google Maps – Ole and Steen (London)

Other branches at Richmond, Canary Wharf, Bedford Avenue, Victoria, Wigmore Street, Westfield, High Street Kensington, Oxford, Charing Cross and Eccleston Yards

Click HERE for other LONDON Food Entries

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook and Instagram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Anyone remembers ”The taste of Fengshan – heavenly! #reasontowin”?

The hawker dish of “Orh Luak” (or Fried Oyster Omelette) was dragged into politics a few years ago, and it certainly made some of the stalls at Bedok 85 aka Fengshan Food Centre even more popular.

One of the busiest stalls at Fengshan Market and Food Centre, this 85 Bedok North Fried Oyster place gets never-ending orders up till late at night. It closes at 2am daily.

It is also listed with a “Michelin Plate” – a distinction given to eateries serving a good meal that’s carefully prepared using fresh ingredients, and priced under $50. In the Michelin Guide, you’ll see the plate icon beside the name of the establishment.

Are you thinking, ”Michelin? Really?”

85 Bedok North Fried Oyster serves more than just Orh Luak, and also includes White or Black Carrot Cake ($2.50, $3), Fresh Cockles Kway Teow ($3, $4), and Fried Hokkien Mee ($3.50, $4, $5).

It occupies two stalls, and quite hard to miss.

The stall appears to be quite popular among supper-goers, and it is not difficult finding groups ordering a plate or two to satisfy their cravings.

You can get your orders in around 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the time of your visit. The medium sized serving is good for sharing or eaten solo for some self-indulgence.

Their Orh Luak ($5, $8) was visually rich in colours, featuring plump oysters and eggs topped with some fresh Chinese parsley.

Not bad, not fantastic.

Their style of frying the egg happens to be part crisp and part fluffy. However, it was neither particularly crisp nor fluffy, and could be better if it went more on the crisp side.

For weight-watchers, take note that this could be slightly oily, perhaps not so controlled on the grease level as they seemed to fry in bigger batches.

You may need to add a bit of their chili sauce, which is on the mild side, not the fiery-bring-me-the-water type.

The stall also serves up “Oyster Omelette” ($5, $8) of folded omelette, slathered with sambal sauce on top and a few pieces of soft, almost soggy, oysters.

A dish that’s prone to jelak, this is best shared with your eating pals.

Although they are known for their fried oysters, they also serve up Fried Hokkien Mee.

Okay. When I usually go for Hokkien Mee, I typically avoid those which sell everything-under-the-roof (sorry if your stall happens to be one of these, it’s just personal preference.)

And so this Hokkien Mee was pretty much on the average side – could do with more flavourful stock and wok-hei, and perhaps saving the calories for the Orh Luak, could be a better option. Unless you really having cravings.

85 Bedok North Fried Oyster 勿洛北85蚝煎
Blk 85, Bedok North Street 4 #01-09/10 Fengshan Hawker Center, Singapore 460085
Tel: +65 8180 7751
Opening Hours: 4pm – 2am (Mon – Sun)

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

ONE MORE. Fans of bubble tea should be familiar with The Alley, a well-known Taiwanese beverage chain founded in Taichung, Taiwan.

After 5 years, it has rapidly expanded to over 300 outlets around the world including Japan, Korea, France, Australia, USA, and many more.

This year it continues to make waves in the international F&B scene, opening its first store in Singapore at JEWEL Changi Airport, which is said to have a wait-time of about 40 minutes to an hour if you go during peak hours.

It will soon be opened for 24 hours as well.

The Alley’s flagship store in Singapore will open next at Orchard Cineleisure Level 2, on the 18th of May (Sat) at 1pm.

This is first-ever premium concept aptly called “The Alley Luxe”, a lifestyle café that showcases their finest collection of beverages and bakes such as Croissants, Cruffins and Kouign-Amann.

This is where you can sit back and enjoy their drinks dine-in over scenic views of Orchard Road, or takeaway to reserve the tasting for later.

The brand, represented by an iconic large-antlered deer, is famous for Deerioca, The Alley’s signature freshly-prepared hand-crafted tapioca. (Ie people called these “boba”, “bubbles”, “pearls”, they call them “Deerioca”).

Manually measured, sifted, mixed and formed, the pearls achieve a better texture and aroma compared to its machine-produced counterparts.

Among its menu series, the Brown Sugar Deerioca has become extremely popular, especially with a boost from various social media channels.

Brown Sugar Deerioca Fresh Milk ($5.30)
This famous drink contains the signature Deerioca, delicate yet chewy tapioca meticulously brewed for more than 4 hours in The Alley’s all-natural brown sugar.

Made with Japanese grade fresh milk, this smooth and creamy beverage can be customised in terms of sweetness.

A visual stunner with its beautiful gradient effect, the draw to me are its pearls. Before stirring the portion up, you can actually take a quick suck to experience that warm sensation contrasted with the cold milk.

There was a certain caramelised sweetness, and each slightly sweet boba pearl is satisfying to the bite because of its QQ texture.

Also available is the Matcha Brown Sugar Deerioca Fresh Milk ($6.30).

Snow Strawberry Lulu ($6.30)
The LuLu Fresh Fruit Series is an all-new collection of luxuriously designed concoctions made with fresh fruits and tea.

If you are a fan of fruit teas, this line up of refreshing drinks is for you.

Try the Snow Strawberry LuLu, made with freshly brewed white peach oolong tea and finished with a dollop of snow velvet cream and fresh crushed strawberries.

Snow Velvet Peach Oolong Tea ($5.80)
This drink is also made with oolong tea and topped with milky cream – popularity known as ”nai gai” (literally meaning milk cover).

This is a drink I would recommend if you like to try the natural taste of the tea (so you drink the foam separately, and use a straw to consume to tea).

Their tea comes from premium hand-harvested tea leaves.

From the harvest of the tea leaves, the processing and aging of the leaves, the infusion of flavours to the selection of ingredients and their ratios is carefully managed.

Has a delicate fragrance, designed to keep you cool on any hot summery day.

Royal No.9 Milk Tea ($4.30)
The Royal No. 9 Milk Tea is a signature drink with a rich, distinct flavour and a subtle tea aroma. Its smooth texture gives you that wonderful mouthfeel, while the subtle sweet milk tea taste is not overwhelming.

This amber-coloured Assam tea is carefully roasted to achieve a mild charred taste and a sweet peach-like aftertaste.

Rounding up this drink is the signature Deerioca tapiocas, cooked to the right consistency to produce that QQ bounciness.

Aurora Series ($8.80)
The Aurora Series is named after the breath-taking Earth sky phenomenon Aurora borealis aka Northern Lights.

The photogenic bottled beverages – nature’s beauty captured in a bottle, scores high in “instragrammability” and sweet taste.

These specialty ice-blended drinks are a harmonious infusion of fresh fruits and fragrant tea, with a stunning gradient appearance.

The Alley Luxe is the brand’s first in the world to feature a selection of classic European baked products, such as Croissants ($3.50, $5.00 for Almond Croissant, $5.80 for Sausage and Cheese), Cruffins – a croissant-muffin hybrid ($5) and Kouign-Amann ($4.50) which are literally “butter cake”.

The Cruffins ($5) come recommended due to the crisp layers of flaky pastry and lightly sweetened fillings, in flavours of the local kaya, salted caramel, lemon curd and chocolate.

Enjoy your Brown Sugar Deerioca Fresh Milk along with flaky, buttery bakes.

The Alley Luxe
Orchard Cineleisure Level 2 Singapore 239695
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Mon – Sun) (After grand opening)
(Official opening: 18th May 2019, 1pm)

The Alley Singapore – Jewel Changi Airport
78 Airport Boulevard Jewel Changi Airport #B2-273 Singapore 819666
Opening Hours: 24 hours (After grand opening)

Other Related Posts
The Alley Singapore (Jewel Changi Airport)

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with The Alley.

[Jeju] When my friend shortlisted Gimbap (Korean Rice Roll) on our to-eat list, I raised an eyebrow.

I mean, there are so many other food options that we can stuff ourselves with. These Korean Rice Rolls are easily available at various street markets, and felt like a waste of calories.

Reluctantly, I looked through their Instagram feed, read some of their reviews, and was sold.

Traditional Korean Gimbap is usually made with cooked rice rolled in with seaweed, together with fillings such as carrot, ham, egg and pickled radish, seasoned with sesame oil and sprinkled with sesame seed.

The rolled Gimbap is then cut into bite sized pieces for easy consumption.

In our context, the final product would look identical to Japanese Sushi. (My Korean friend would probably give me the death stare for saying so.)

At Saewoori, they use shrimp as the key ingredient in their dishes, which is also characterized in their name as Saewoo 새우 refers to shrimp in Korean.

While they only have a small selection of food options, their signature Just Shrimp Gimbap 딱새우김밥 (KRW6500, SGD7.50) have managed to capture the eyeballs of many thanks to its aesthetic presentation.

The Gimbap was made using yellow colored short-grain rice, with shrimp cake and purple picked cabbage sandwiched in between.

It was then sliced into square-shape and neatly arranged into a square box. I believe any person with OCD would be thrilled to have this for lunch.

While I didn’t have much expectation, the combination turned out to be quite a pleasant surprise.

With savory flavored rice blended together with chewy shrimp cake, and taste balanced well with tangy pickled cabbages, which also gave an extra crunchiness to the bite texture.

The other main which they serve was the Cupbob 컵밥, which literally means rice-in-a-cup, and came in two flavors – Ganjang and Yangnyeom.

I had the Yangnyeom Shrimp Cupbob (KRW8500, SGD9.80) which was essentially made up from the same ingredients used for gimbab, but with fresh shrimp and yangnyeom sauce mixed into it.

Also tasted about the same as gimbap, add the extra hint of spiciness from the sauce.

(Photo from @sewooori_jeju)

Since this is a takeaway store, other customers were also seen dabao-ing the gimbap to other scenic locations for picnic or fuss-free meal.

(Photo from @sewooori_jeju)

As the store is conveniently located a few minutes’ drive from Jeju International Airport, it was so memorable that we decided to pick up another serving before we left Jeju.

Jeju-si Saewoori제주시 새우리
1098-3 Samdoi-dong, Cheju, Jeju-do, South Korea
제주특별자치도 제주시 삼도2동 1098-3
Opening Hours: 9.00am – 8.30pm (Mon – Sun), or till sold out
Google Maps – Jeju-si Saewoori

* Written by Lewis Tan @juicyfingers, a self-proclaimed coffee addict. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Tempura + Army Stew? If you want a one-stop shop to enjoy Korean fare, both savoury and sweet, Patbingsoo Korean Dining House is a good option.

Patbingsoo Korean Dining House is the first in Singapore to bring together under one roof the best of both worlds.

And yes, they serve up much more than Bingsoo.

This casual dining brand offers a diverse selection of latest comfort street food trends from the bustling Korean night markets from Army Stew, Bibimbap to Korean Ramyeon.

It is located in 4 outlets from Plaza Singapura, Northpoint City, Jurong Point to VivoCity.

The brand continues to delight fans of Korean cuisine with new items and classic favourites in a fun Korean-style setting.

The savoury side of the menu is extensive, offering you 6 choices of Jjigae, 6 choices of Ramyeon, Korean meals like Patbingsoo Beef and Chips, Tteok Carbonara, Japchae, and Cheese Tteokbokki.

If you want a quick bite, they offer Fried Samgyeobsal, Tteokkochi, Pork/Beef Kimbap, Popcorn Chicken, Chicken Wings, and Chicken Skin. Rice dishes like Bibimbap, Cheese Kimchi Fried Rice, and Dub Bap (served in a hot stone bowl) are also available.

With a NEW and revamped menu in summer 2019, here are some recommended items you can try:

Twi Gim Jjigae ($39.90)
A dish where Army Stew meets Tempura. Is this your dream come true?

Similar to the Japanese tempura, twi gim refers to batter-dipped deep-fried items like vegetables, meats and seafood. This jjigae (stew) features different types of twi gim such as seafood (prawns and mussels), meat (chicken sausage), vegetables (shiitake mushroom), and rice cake.

Of course, it wouldn’t be complete without the ramyeon.

The stew is infused with tteokbokki soup base for an intense flavour.

If you are concerned that the tempura would get too soggy if left in the soup for too long, you could pick up some of the crispier pieces out first. Otherwise, it is a different kind of satisfaction when the tempura pieces absorb the flavours of the stew.

Love spicy soup-base bursting with Gochujang flavours? This is for you.

Haemul Jjigae ($39.90)
Haemul (Seafood) Jjigae presents a combination of Tiger prawns and shellfish (white clams and mussels) with crab sticks and fish cakes.

Joining these popular seafood ingredients are rice cakes, sliced tofu, shiitake mushroom, enoki mushrooms, and green onions.

Instead of ramyeon noodles, they use Korean glass noodles for this stew.

Everything is slow cooked in the pot until all their flavours meld in unison. Available in a spicy Gochujang (get a glass of water ready, just in case) or non-spicy base.

Jjim-Dak Jjigae ($36.90)
Jjim-Dak is a Korean-style braised chicken dish with vegetables and sweet potato noodles called dangmyun, popularised in Andong.

Order this dish and enjoy succulent boneless cuts of chicken with tender braised chunks of potatoes, carrots, onions, rice cake, and vegetables.

The parts I enjoyed most were the soft texture of the braised potatoes and sweetness of the carrots.

Similar to Haemul Jjigae, this also uses the chewy Korean glass noodles which will absorb some of the dark sauce which is savoury, mildly salty and sweet with an addictive complex flavour.

Gochujang Ramyeon ($12.90)
Among the 6 ramyeon dishes in the new menu (the others include Bean Paste Ramyeon, Daebak Ramyeon, Kimchi Ramyeon), don’t miss Gochujang Ramyeon which is a house special.

This Korean ramen noodle dish features slices of luncheon meat, enoki mushrooms, cuts of pork/beef belly, dried seaweed, green onion, and a fresh egg.

This signature dish is prepared using a special house-made spicy Gochujang sauce, which can be described as ”shiok”.

Tteokbokki Ramyeon ($12.90)
Go for this ramyeon dish for its classic combination of ingredients. You not only get the chewy and spicy Korean rice cakes aka tteokbokki but also several pieces of crisp-fried seaweed rolls aka kim mari.

These rolls are popular street food – they and tteokbokki go together like popcorn and movies.

Essentially, they are dangmyun (glass noodles) stuffed in a seaweed sheet, rolled up, coated in batter, and deep-fried to a crisp.

This dish is topped with grated mixed cheese to balance the spiciness of the soup base. Between the 2 Ramyeon, I personally prefer the Gochujang with a spicier kick.

Dry Kimchi Ramyeon ($11.90)
For a different type of ramyeon experience, try Patbingsoo’s Dry Kimchi Ramyeon.

Instead of a slow cooking as a stew, these ramen noodles are tossed in a special spicy in-house sauce that coats every strand.

Each order comes with a plate of noodles topped with slices of luncheon meat, fried battered slices of pork belly, kimchi, slivers of dried seaweed, lettuce chiffonade, and a sunny side up egg.

If you are the type who enjoys having dry noodles while watching K dramas, this is your kind of food.

Tteok Carbonara ($12.90)
This Koreanised version of the Italian carbonara is a popular item in the menu.

It is made with sautéed tteok (Korean rice cake), mixed with bite-sized bacons and corn kernels.

The sauce that holds them all together is a combination of cream sauce and cheese, making it a rich dish that’s hard to resist.

Ultimate Cheese Chicken Wings ($19.90)
Can’t get enough of cheese? These Ultimate Cheese Chicken Wings are an answer to your prayers.

Get these crunchy Korean-style chicken wings fried and coated in either a spicy or honey garlic sauce.

Drizzled on these wings are cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, ready to be melted over a table-top stove and be stretched, wrapped and rolled around the chicken.

An order also comes with fries, which you can dunk into the melted cheese to your satisfaction.

Euljiro Bingsoo ($13.90)
Their dressed up bingsoo (or “bingsu”) with its bowlful of finely shaved ice and assorted toppings (fruits and what have you’s) is perfect for the sweltering summer day.

Here they have versions with red beans (“patbingsoo”) and versions without (“bingsoo”). It’s a refreshing dessert that is double the fun when shared with family or friends.

Try their Euljiro Bingsoo, made with fresh strawberry halves, two kinds of cheese cake (cut into bite-sized cubes), and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Fans of cheese cake will love how light and fluffy they are, and the berry cheese cake simply complements the overall sweet and subtle tartness profile of this dessert.

A special berry cheese sauce is poured over it for maximum enjoyment, gentle eroding the shaved ice to a delicious pool of flavours.

Guro Bingsoo ($12.90)
If you adore the tropical flavour of mango, this bingsoo is made just for you.

Imagine loads of sweet mango cubes over finely shaved ice. Add to that a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Then, you have some mango cheese sauce on the side, which you can pour all over the ice cream and the mangoes until they are drenched in flavour.

What you get is a refreshingly sweet, fruity and creamy concoction that memorably ends your meal.

Patbingsoo Korean Dining House Great Singapore Sale Promotion
Get $10 OFF your bill instantly when you spend a min of $48++ (a la carte menu). Promotion from 15 May to 31 July 2019.

Terms and Conditions:
1. Valid at all Patbingsoo outlets and for dine-in only
2. One redemption per bill per receipt per table
3. No splitting of bills
4. Not valid with other promotions, vouchers, sets or discounts
5. Management reserves the right to amend/terminate the promotion without prior notice

Patbingsoo Korean Dining House
Northpoint City South Wing #B1-181, 1 Northpoint Drive Singapore 768019
Tel: +65 9169 5835

Plaza Singapura #B2-47 68 Orchard Road Singapore 238839
Tel: +65 9181 3038

Jurong Point #03-56, 63 Jurong West Central 3 Singapore 648331
Tel: +65 9169 5817

VivoCity #B2-27 1 Harbourfront Walk Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 9187 0372

Opening Hours: 11:30am – 10:00pm (Sun – Thurs), 11:30am – 11:00pm (Fri – Sat, Eve PH, PH) Last orders 30min before closing
https://www.facebook.com/patbingsoosin

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Patbingsoo Korean Dining House.

This IS the year of Bubble Tea as it makes a comeback , with more and more overseas brands opening in Singapore.

Too many?

But let’s first talk about BOBA. These are the tiny, chewy black balls at the bottom of the drink. Word has it that they were named after Amy Yip’s emmmm… ‘assets’ (they were nicknamed “BoBa”).

Many Singapore sellers used to call them “pearls”, until it is not so fashionable anymore, and we hear names from bubbles, bobo, deerioca, and more.

Someone then decided it was not enough to place them into drinks, and we started seeing Boba on Pizzas, Boba Hotpot (it has become real, yet to try it), Boba in Crabs, Boba in Ice Cream … you get the drift.

I haven’t got adventurous to try the savoury options. However, if you are a Bubble Tea fan, you may want to give these 10 Bubble Tea desserts a try to satisfy your cravings:

Bubble Tea Tarts ($8.50) – Edith Patisserie
772 North Bridge Road, Singapore 189868
Opening Hours: 10am – 5pm (Tue – Sat), 10am – 2pm (Sun), Closed on Mon

Edith Patisserie is a small bakery that only offers takeaways.

Apart their original Bubble Milk Tea Tart, 2 other flavours such as: Matcha and Thai Milk Tea are available.

Priced at $8.50 each, pastry cream of the three different flavours with chewy tapioca pearls are piped into the almond pastry base and are best consumed within a day without refrigeration (in case the pearls turn hard).

While the texture of the pastry cream is smooth, the matcha flavour has the most distinctive taste with slight lingering bitterness whereas both the Milk tea and Thai milk tea are a tad too sweet.

In case Bubble Tea Tarts are not your thing, I heard that they have a full size Earl Grey Bubble Tea Cake for pure indulgence

Only available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday. Reservation is highly recommended because I got my hands on the last pieces 2 hours past their opening timing.

Brown Sugar Boba Custard Donut Cone ($4.80) – Coney Donut
111 Somerset Road, TripleOne Somerset, #01-K1, Singapore 238164
Opening Hours: 10am – 9:30pm (Mon – Sun) (To be launched soon)

You had Brown Sugar Bubble Milk before, but I am sure you would not come across a Brown Sugar Boba Custard Cone, with the cone made of freshly-made DONUT.

The cone is lined up with syrup on the inside, but this time it is the trendy brown sugar as a sauce.

The syrup-lined cone is then filled with a creamy custard cream, and finished off with a topping of chewy boba pearls.

Check out how the wildly popular brown sugar milk tea has morphed into a doughnut cone here at Coney Donut. It actually… worked!

Milk Tea Boba Croissant ($5) – Brother Bird Milk & Croissants
32A Bali lane, Singapore 198740
Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), 6pm – 10pm (Tue)

Brother Bird Bakehouse is here to break your bubbles with their plain looking croissant.

But once you slice through the aromatic buttery and crispy outer layer of the croissant, you will be in for a surprise to see soft chewy pearls embedded within the milk tea cream.

The balance of soft chewy pearls with crispy, flaky layer of the croissant, coupled with a sweet milk tea cream tasted like a bubble milk tea, except in a solid form.

Only available on weekends.

Boba Thai Milk Tea Cake ($9.80) – The Bakery Chef
Blk 161, Bukit Merah Central, #01-3711, Singapore 150161
Opening Hours: 11am – 7pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 7pm (Sat – Sun)

Known to start the lava toast trend in Singapore some years back, The Bakery Chef is back with a different version of a Lava Cake.

Topped with soft, chewy tapioca boba pearls that slides down with the flowy Thai milk tea lava and complemented well with the soft and fluffy texture of the lava cake.

A full-sized Brown Sugar Pearl Waterfall Cake (1.1kg for $48) is also available for big group gatherings.

Bubble Tea Toast ($6.90/ $7.90) – Benjamin Browns
583 Orchard Road, Forum the Shopping Mall, #01-20/21, Singapore 238884
Opening Hours: 10.30am – 9pm (Sun – Thu), 10.30am – 9.30pm (Fri – Sat)

Known for their Over-The-Top Milkshakes, Benjamin Browns continues to offer innovative creations such as Black Sesame Marble Latte ($5.90) and Marble Pancake ($16).

With 5 different flavours for their Bubble Tea Toast such as Ovaltine, Crunchie, Caramel Lotus ($6.90), Matcha and Thai Milk Tea ($7.90), the toast provides a contrast in texture between the soft, chewy pearls and crispy, crunchy toast.

Apart from Bubble Tea Toasts, Pearls on pancakes such as the Boba Pancakes ($14) and Matcha Boba Pancakes ($16) come with generous amount of cream topped with chewy boba pearls.

Bubble Tea Pancake ($9.90) – Alley Singapore
Available at Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar 2019

Not to be confused with The Alley at JEWEL Changi Airport and Cineleisure, Alley Singapore is a pop-up concept that can be found in various night markets around Singapore from time to time.

The Bubble Tea Pancake made its first appearance at Geylang Serai’s Ramadan Bazaar this year, made with tea-infused pancakes and drizzled with cream and brown sugar pearls.

The exact same composition as a brown sugar bubble tea, except in the form of a pancake, the tea-infused pancakes exudes an aromatic tea flavour whereas the brown sugar pearls were soft, chewy and sweet.

Only available till 5 June 2019 at Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar.

Pearl Milk Tea Softserve Ice Cream ($3.60) – TP Tea 茶湯會
Changi Airport, Terminal 2, Departure Hall #026-015-01, Singapore 819643
Opening Hours: 24 hours Daily

Suntec City #01-312, 3 Temasek Boulevard Singapore 038983
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

From the sister company of Chun Shui Tang 春水堂 in Taichung, Taiwan, which is the OG of all bubble tea

Offering more than just their selection of beverages, Pearl Milk Tea Softserve Ice Cream ($3.60) has thick, smooth and creamy texture that uses the same tea recipe as the Pearl Milk Tea.

I appreciated that the combination of softserve with chewy pearls was not sweet, which brings out the taste of tea leaves with a lingering aroma.

Brown Sugar Bubble Tiramisu ($8.80) – ARTEA
Vivocity #01-100/101 1 Harbourfront Walk, Singapore 098585 (Harbourfront MRT)
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Floral-themed cafe, ARTEA, at Vivo City has introduced Tiramisu in different flavours such as: Brown Sugar Bubble ($8.80), Earl grey ($9.80), Mango ($9.80), Strawberry ($10.80), Matcha ($11.80), Hazelnut ($11.80) and Mojito ($12.80).

Encased in a pretty box decorated with marble-like patterns, miniature brown sugar pearls can be found on the Brown Sugar Bubble Tiramisu for some chewiness.

Brown Sugar Lava Xiao Long Bao – Paradise Dynasty
3 Temasek Boulevard Suntec City Mall #B1-110 Singapore 038983
Opening Hours: 11.00am – 10.00pm Last Order 9.30pm (Mon – Fri), 10:30am – 10:00pm, Last Order 9:30pm (Sat, Sun, PH)

Xiao Long Bao as a dessert? Wait, Brown Sugar Lava Xiao Long Bao?

The dish actually started as an April Fool’s joke, which became reality.

The Paradise team went on to buy many different brands of brown sugar milk tea for research, and finally perfected a Brown Sugar Lava Xiao Long Bao that flows with coconut strips for extra texture and complements the sweet brown sugar taste.

Served as a dessert, I would recommend you popping an entire into your mouth during consumption, and the flavours from the sweet fillings would burst in your mouth. Kind of reminds me of Ondeh-Ondeh.

This is exclusive to the Suntec City outlet, as an off-menu item available for a limited period from 25 May till 30 June 2019.

Bubble Tea Dirty Bread ($4.50) – SuperTea
9 Raffles Boulevard, Millenia Walk, #01-75, Singapore 039596
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

“Dirty Bread” 脏脏包 was once a time in trend, with buns dusted with powder, filled with cream or custard fillings, that would create powdery and creamy stains all over your mouth (and face) when you eat them ferociously.

Supertea’s The Goody Bun 赞赞包 contains Milk Tea with Pearls ($4.50) 奶茶与珍珠.

Inspired by Supertea’s very own drink, this unique creation is layered with Red Tea custard crème, chewy brown sugar pearls, and topped with rich milky powder.

* Compiled by Nicholas Tan @stormscape who loves all things [NEW]. Additional input @DanielFoodDiary.

[Hong Kong] Those who have experienced Halfway Coffee 半路咖啡 in Sheung Wan will almost always remember it for their coffee served in vintage Hong Kong porcelain cups.

Even the takeaway paper cups have these porcelain patterns.

Halfway Coffee is a charming little coffee joint appropriately tucked away near all the antique shops in Upper Lascar Row.

The concept is all about coffee, community and memory. They are big of nostalgia, even their logo is actually a depiction of the floppy disks used back in the dark ages.

Even their location in Sheung Wan, known as one of the earliest settlements by British forces, is a magnet for history enthusiasts for its beautiful architecture.

If you are commuting via MTR, take Exit A2 of the Sheung Wan Station. Since it is a rather small space, it is best suited for solo or couple diners.

Finding the space could be slightly tricky without Google Maps (or some form of navigation), as the coffee space is located on in between some antique shops, on a flight of steps, its grey walls well blended into its surroundings.

However, this could be well worth the search if you need a space just to wind down, or on a more superficial level some Instagram shots.

They have most of the classic coffee options, from Espresso, Macchiato, Americano, Latte, Flat White, Cappucino and Latte (HKD30 – 50).

Other than those, there are occasional special drinks like Chocolate Milk available hot or cold (HKD45, 50), Rose Latte (HKD60, 55), Longan Honey Latte (HKD50, 55), and Okinawa Black Sugar Latte (HKD50, 55).

Price is on the higher side, considering HKD45 is about SGD7.85 (or USD5.73).

You can refresh minus the caffeine with their Lemonade, or any of their juices. Sun (HKD55) is a combination of carrot, apple and lemon, while Earth (HKD55) mixes beetroot, apple and ginger.

Menu changes but usually you can find brunch grub such as Scrambled Eggs & Bacon on Sourdough Bread, Banana & Apple Toast with HK Honey, Fresh Fruit Muesli Mix with Milk, Yogurt and HK Honey, Apple, Purple Sweet Potato & Pecan Salad, and Avocado & Scrambled Egg on Sourdough HKD128).

There are also occasional cakes such as Opera Cake and Lemon Tart with Ice Cream (HKD88).

People seems to be here for the coffee and cups though.

There was a certain sense of calmness as you sit down at the corner admiring a forgotten part of Hong Kong (while being in the midst of the city), and the space was well detailed with old artefacts.

Halfway Coffee 半路咖啡
12 Tung Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 9511 7197
Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm (Mon – Sun)
https://www.facebook.com/halfwaycoffeehk
Google Maps – Halfway Coffee

Click HERE for other HONG KONG Food Entries

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

After I completed the listicle of some Must-Try Hokkien Mee In Singapore, I thought I should just go ahead with Prawn Noodles. #truestory

When people go for Prawn Noodles aka Hae Mee, it is always about the broth.

It has to be flavourful, brimming with seafood-goodness, with tinge of sweetness, and most importantly taste gao-gao (intensely rich).

However, I personally prefer the dry version because I get to try the best of both worlds – the mixture of sauces, along with the comforting soup – usually available in a small bowl.

For this listicle, I went to about 20 places trying both the SOUP and DRY versions (I am watching out for my cholesterol levels as well). Inevitably, some stalls are stronger in one of them – usually the soup. The dry option sometimes becomes the ‘by-the-way’, with a mixture of sauces that don’t bring out the flavours that well.

Also, I try to include a mixture of the famous ones, and a few new names.

Something else I noted while trying out so many Prawn Noodles… the broth usually tastes better at night. Or is it just me?

And there is almost always a “Ngor Hiang” or Wuxiang stall nearby. Anyone knows what’s the story behind?

Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle or Noo Cheng Adam Road Big Prawn Mee
Zion Road Food Centre #01-04, 70 Zion Road Singapore 247792
Opening Hours: 6:00pm – 11.30pm (Tues, Wed, Fri), 6:30pm – 11:30pm (Thurs), 12pm – 3pm and 6pm – 11:30pm (Sat), 12pm – 1am (Sun)

This Prawn Noodle stall is listed in the Michelin Bib Gourmand.

The stall used to be known as “Noo Cheng Adam Road Big Prawn Mee” till it changed name to a more generic-sounding “Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle”. This is most possibly to prevent confusion with the brother’s stall at Adam Road Food Centre.

Some new-comers may just scream at the price-point, at $6, $8, $12, $16, $20, $25. Do not be surprised, I actually hear the $20/$25 orders more frequently than expected.

Cooked for hours with pork ribs and prawn heads, the broth was incredibly tasty (and I don’t get MSG attacks after).

The only thing is, I noticed of late that the intensity may not be as consistent as before, and sometimes not as full-bodied. AND I found the soup in the night time tastier.

There are prawn mee lovers who like bowls as if an ocean of prawns died within to create that stock. This isn’t one of them, but was still flavourful.

Order the dry version, ask for some chilli, and you would find a spicy bowl of ‘al dente’ medium-thick bee hoon addictively tasty with fragrant fried shallots. Fresh Taste Big Prawn Noodle (Zion Road)

Beach Road Prawn Noodle House
370 East Coast Road, Singapore 428981
Tel: +65 63457196
Opening Hours: 7am – 4pm (Wed – Mon), Closed Tues

This is one of those prawn noodle shops that is always swarming with customers. People come here in buses, taxis, cars, bikes or walk from the East Coast vicinity.

While the queues are often quite long, they have a pretty efficient serving system where you can sit at the table and wait rather than standing in line. You should get your food relatively fast.

Other than the most popular option of Jumbo Prawn Mee ($12), other choices include Prawn Noodles, Prawn with Pork Rib Mee, Pork Ribs Mee with Pig’s Tail, and Prawn with Pig’s Tail Mee – priced at $6, $9 or $12.

The place may be crowded, but I got a medium serving of their Dry Prawn Noodles (Small $5.80, Medium $8.80, Jumbo $11.80) within a couple of minutes.

The presentation was basic but the taste was quite exceptional. The prawns were fresh, noodles, tossed in delicious chili sauce, fried with lard bits and fried shallots.

Soup version was flavourful with slight sweetness, without being overly intense. One of the few shops that does both versions relatively well.

Blanco Court Prawn Mee (Beach Road)
243 Beach Road, #01-01, Singapore 189754
Tel: +65 63968464
Opening Hours: 7am – 4pm (Wed – Mon), Closed Tues

Regulars just go straight for the “3 in 1 noodles” ($10.90) with jumbo prawns, prawn ribs and pig’s tail.

This stall gives you many options to customize your prawn noodles dish according to your own taste and preference. You can get bee hoon, yellow noodles or kway teow, and have a dish with prawns, tail and ribs in one dish.

The place is always swarming with hungry customers. Or sometimes a busload of tourists may just walk in.

I ordered the Prawn and Pork Ribs Noodle ($8.90), the prawn ribs were rather tender, prawns fresh (though slightly tough at parts), with pleasant-tasting soup.

For this shop, I prefer the soup version – though I still think it can be slightly thicker. Some customers may feel that portion can be larger for its increased pricing.

Da Dong Prawn Noodles
354 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427600
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 2pm (Wed – Mon), Closed Tues

This is the current IT Prawn Noodle stall, with many online reviewers giving thumbs up positive reviewes.

This stall opens up fairly early in the morning, and they start their set up and cooking during wee hours of the day. If you want to ditch long queues, go a bit earlier than the peak lunch hours.

Managed by two brothers who are second generation hawkers, it is known for delicious prawn noodle recipe passed down from with a great, classic taste.

The Prawn Noodles is priced at $5, $8, and $10 (but $5 is really small), and Big Prawn Noodles at $13, $15, and $20.

The substantial price aside, the winner is in the gao-gao soup which had that delicious prawn flavour and seafood accents.

HOWEVER, there is also THAT much of the soup and the stall doesn’t provide extra refills. This is to maintain quality in their soups, and the owners do not want to serve it diluted. Treasure every sip.

River South (Hoe Nam) Prawn Noodles
31 Tai Thong Crescent, Singapore 347859
Tel: +65 62819293
Opening Hours: 6am – 2pm (Tues – Sat), Closed Sun, Mon

Wah, prized commodity as it opens ONLY for those few hours in the morning. The stall (or should I say shop) operates in such systematic fashion, with so many options that it will keep you ‘dazzled’ for a while.

The Hoe Nam stall got its name from the province of their ancestors. They started out small, with prawn noodle soup as their only item. With time, they not only mastered the dish to make it more wholesome and flavourful, but also added a wide range of options to their customers.

There are options with abalone clams, pig’s intestines, and pig’s tail.

If you love the dry version, their bowl comes with homemade sauce, quite a lot of oily chilli sauce with fried shallots – good for tossing. The soup provided was thick and full-bodied, very comforting.

I remember they used to operate at night, but have shorten their opening hours.

Prawn Village
20 Ghim Moh Rd, Ghim Moh Food Centre #01-62, Singapore 270020
Tel: +65 90581705
Opening Hours: 6am – 1:30pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

This is probably the most “unknown” as it is one of the newest, but often comes highly recommended.

Located at Ghim Moh Food Centre, this stall is run by a nurse turned hawker with a talent for cooking.

The stall serves up Penang style Prawn Noodles, affordably priced at $3 or $4. The bowl contains prawns served with pork slices, leek fishcake, kang kong, slice of egg and beansprouts.

Good value for its money.

The winner is in the prawns, carefully deveined and deshelled – great for the lazier people. Big sized and fresh. Also the broth was not like the usual prawn mee I had, with that distinct seafood flavour and was reasonably rich and thick.

If you have space, add more of those homemade Leek Fishcakes ($1.40 each).

Whitley Road Big Prawn Noodles 威利大蝦麵
Blk 51 Old Airport Road, #01-98 Old Airport Road Food Centre, Singapore 390051
Opening Hours: 9am – 8pm (Tue – Fri), 9am – 9pm (Sat – Sun), Closed Mon

Through the years, Whitley Road Prawn Noodles has been known to be one of the best prawn noodles stalls in Singapore.

They have 3 other outlets (Old Airport Road, 273 Thomson Road, 36 Circular Road) in Singapore gathering a long line of loyal followers especially during lunch hour.

Most people seem to go for the Big Prawn Pork Rib Noodles ($5.50, $8, $10, $12) or the Three In One ($8, $10, $15) with pork ribs, liver and tail.

The stall serves a smaller portion compared to others, but what it lacks in portion makes it up in flavour.

The prawns were chunky and tasted fresh – could be sweeter though; while the pork ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender.

Interestingly, I preferred the dry version. The noodles were coated in a spicy-savoury and home-made chili paste with some zing.

Fried shallots and pork lard added provided that light crunch and aroma. The other famous stall here is Albert Street Prawn Noodles. Whitley Road Prawn Noodles (Old Airport Road Food Centre)

Jalan Sultan Prawn Mee 惹蘭蘇丹蝦麺
2 Jalan Ayer (Lorong 1 Geylang), Singapore 389141
Tel: +65 6748 2488
Opening Hours: 8am – 3:30pm (Wed – Mon), Closed on Tues

The famous noodle stall is located just off Geylang Lorong 1, a walking distance from Kallang MRT Station.

The fresh, sweet prawns come in 2 sizes – regular and “King”. The basic bowl starts at $6 for Prawn Mee, while it is recommended to get the King Prawn Pork Ribs Noodle ($8, $10).

There is also a Pig Thai Pork Ribs Soup ($5, $8, $10) offered.

While my personal preference is typically the dry version, I say get the soup version for its broth, as it sets this apart from other stalls, mildly sweet and has a robust flavour.

Compared to some of the famous stalls around, the soup base was lighter, more diluted, not as hot-hot, but still considered appetizing. It was ”qing” and thus not too heavy. Jalan Sultan Prawn Mee (Geylang)

Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodles
41A Cambridge Road, #01-15, Pek Kio Market and Food Centre, Singapore 210041
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 2pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Mon – Tues

It is slightly unfortunate that Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodle at Pek Kio Market and Food Centre has become more ‘famed’ for a temperament owner, rather than its goods.

Just have a scroll through various review websites, and you would find countless feedback on the auntie’s attitude, especially if you do not queue behind a red line or ordered the cheapest bowl.

If I were to recommend, get the mee kia (thin noodles) dry.

The noodles are specially made for Wah Kee, and all base sauces such as the sambal chilli sauce and special spicy sauce are made in-house daily, using Wah Kee’s 65-year recipe.

Interesting to note that they do not use pork in cooking the soup, and therefore the broth is lighter with an unique orange colour.

The prawns were large and fresh, soup was tasty and moderately robust in flavours – more intense than the average stall, but didn’t seem to be as rich and gao-gao (ie more diluted) as in the past. Wah Kee Big Prawn Noodle (Pek Kio Food Centre)

Note: Customers at Pek Kio Food Centre also seem to gravitate towards Lai Hiang Pork Rib Prawn Mee which has friendly service.

Deanna’s Kitchen
127 Lor 1 Toa Payoh, Toa Payoh Lor 1 Food Centre #02-25, Singapore 310127
Tel: +65 96675500
Opening Hours: 10am – 2pm, 5pm – 8pm (Wed – Fri), 9am – 3pm (Sat, Sun) (Check their Facebook for updated opening hours)

Deanna’s Kitchen is one of the few places that serve up “authentic Halal Prawn noodles”. (Though I know of Muslims who do not eat prawns.)

This is a family stall that has wholesome, homemade flavors in their food at quite affordable pricing. The owner’s greatest fan is said to be her mother-in-law and family who encouraged her to open up this stall.

Their regular Prawn Mee is perpetually sold out (LOL), so go for the other options such as Big Prawn Mee ($7), Prawn Noodles with Clams ($6.50) and Prawn Noodle with Crayfish ($12.50).

There is also a mega $39 “Seafood Platter” version, but you need to gather a squad to finish this.

The secret lies in the use of fresh prawn shells and other seafood items to heighten the taste and richness of broth – which I think works quite well.

The only thing is that the prawn shells were hard to remove, so do prepare some wet tissues.

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

In a blink of an eye, we have almost reached half-way mark of 2018.

Café hopping which used to be quite the IN-thing in Singapore, has kind of dwindled down as new players are finding it hard to stand-out in this competitive F&B environment. (Also read: 10 Most Instagrammable NEW Cafes In Singapore 2018)

For this 2019’s “most instagrammable cafes” edition, there are still the usual shoo-ins of those with minimalist look and hipster-industrial space. There are some unique ones, such as Singapore’s 1st African themed café and a floral-themed venue at East Coast.

With JEWEL Changi Airport being the most-talked about opening in Singapore, it is fitting to include some lesser-talked about names there.

ENJOY!

Kafe Utu
12 Jiak Chuan Road Singapore 089265 (Outram/Chinatown MRT)
Tel: +65 6996 3937
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

1st African Themed Café In Singapore
Kafe Utu is listed first because it dares to be bold, different, and sticks true to its theme. How many African themed places in Singapore can you find?

The attention to details… from the menu design, sofa, cushions, decorations, paintings, doors to even the panels, you know a lot of thought has been put into the collection and planning of the space.

Many of the furniture (even the doors) used are specially imported.

Kafe Utu serves up brunch items, East and West African food, as well as specialty coffee. Owner Kurt Wagner grew up in Kenya and wanted to bring a piece of home to Singapore.

Food items on the menu include Swahili Fish Curry ($29) with red snapper, tamarind, coconut milk, house curry paste, habenero and coconut rice; Liberian Peanut Chicken Stew ($28); West African Spicy Greens ($28) with chicken thigh and smoked fish; and Caribbean Goat Curry ($28).

If you would prefer something safer and more familiar, go for the more ‘brunchy’ items such as Curried Avocado with Raw Garlic and Toast ($16) and Ricotta Hotcakes ($23). Kafe Utu (Jiak Chuan Road)

Cafe De Nicole’s Flower
224 Telok Kurau Rd, #01-01, Singapore 423836
Opening Hours: 8.30am – 8.30pm (Tue – Sun), Closed Mon

Floral-Themed Café With Soufflé Pancakes
While many new cafes in Singapore has gone for a minimalist or industrial concept, Cafe De Nicole’s Flower focuses on a garden theme.

And this is not just about the aesthetical aspect but also through its presentation and scent.

Being a florist shop, an event space, a workshop venue and an animal playground (yes, it’s pets friendly too!), the interior is like a garden with its pleasing floral scent in almost every part of the space.

Something that caught my attention is the addition of flowers, be it dried or fresh flowers, in all the desserts and drinks that I ordered.

Even though the souffle pancakes may not seem as tall, wobbly or bouncy (worthy for a Boomerang shot), this plate of soufflé pancakes is a piece of art on its own, with sauces, fruits and flowers used for plating. Cafe De Nicole’s Flower (Telok Kurau Road)

Alchemist
2 MacTaggart Road, #01-01 Khong Guan Building, Singapore 368078
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm Last Order 4:30pm (Mon – Fri); 9pm – 6pm Last Order 5:30pm (Sat), Closed Sun)

Hipster Cafe Within The Heritage Khong Guan Building
You may not have expected to find a hipster café within this interesting and nostalgic building located where MacTaggart Road and Burn Road meets.

As you look up to the top and read from right to left, you would notice the words 康元 which means Khong Guan.

Alchemist started out as small takeaway coffee outpost in the CBD. This 3rd outlet is their flagship store where they house the coffee roasters at the back, and an island-open concept coffee bar at the front.

They continue to source for their own coffee, roast them, and then focus on making it simple and approachable to our customers.

I also liked the environment, not as echoey as expected, with various seating arrangements, and decorative traces of the old heritage building. Just look at the flooring. Alchemist (MacTaggart Road)

Baristart Coffee Singapore
65 Tras Street Singapore 079004 (Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Hokkaido Cafe With Delicious Cream Puff
It is the first café here to offer coffee using the popular Brown Jersey Milk from Biei, a small town in Hokkaido, Japan.

This is matched with beautiful latte art; its food and desserts.

The desserts, all made in-house, are designed by the talented pastry Chef Emi Sasaki with the support of local chefs whom had spent several weeks of intensive training in Japan.

Most would head for the Shiro Kuma ($9.80). Shaped like a bear, Shiro Kuma is a shaved ice dessert is too adorable to destroy and eat. This much-talked about item is served with a glass of Hokkaido BIEI Jersey Milk, so you can drizzle a little or pour as much as you like.

You can also opt for other homemade syrups instead of the milk, i.e. Coffee, Strawberry, Mango, and Green tea for your preferred flavour.

Also, can I add that its Cream Puff is one of the best I tried in Singapore? Baristart Coffee (Tras Street)

Camaca
9 King Albert Park, Kap Mall #01-11/12, Singapore 598332
Tel: Tel: +65 6904 3811
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Gorgeous Cafe Serving “Giant Macarons” Which Are Actually Gelato
Camaca specialising in Gelato, Coffee and Chocolate originated from Taiwan and this is the first store in Singapore.

Gorgeous space, I must say, with an upper storey complete with a coffee bar. Some people may just miss the 2nd floor, so head upstairs to enjoy some peace with natural light.

These ‘macarons’ are specially made capsules, which need to be placed in their custom made gelato machine before serving.

The gelato encased within would then be squeezed out, twirled onto a cup akin to a softserve ice cream.

The purpose of putting the gelato in the capsule is mainly for 2 reasons: for hygiene as it prevents unwanted particles from getting in; and preventing air and ice crystals so that the gelato gets an improved texture.

The gelato comes in flavours such as Musang King Durian, Pomelo Tea, Swiss Chocolate, Raspberry Mango, Coconut, Royal Earl Grey, and Roasted Oolong. Camaca (King Albert Park)

Lee’s Confectionery
343 Jurong East Street 31, #01-59, Singapore 600343
Tel: +65 9183 8447
Opening Hours: 12:00pm – 10:00pm (Thurs – Tues), 11:00am – 10:00pm (Sat – Sun), Closed Wed

Patisserie With Delicious Matcha Cake And Lime Tart
Lee’s Confectionery has recently attracted a lot of attention on social media, and it certainly has grabbed mine with its visually satisfying in-house made pastries.

Its space may not be considered insta-worthy as it is small, but the bakes certainly are.

Located near Chinese Garden MRT, the confectionery serves roughly 6 to 7 different types of tarts, with some varieties available on a rotational basis.

The best-seller here is the Dale ($8), which includes matcha included 4 ways – in a sponge, as crumble, matcha mousse, passionfruit compote with seeds on a tart sprinkled with… matcha powder.

A refined and polished version with multiple different textures.

Soft sponge cake, crispy crumble, creamy mousse, crunchy passionfruit seeds and sturdy tart base. Lee’s Confectionery (Jurong East)

JW360° (Japan Way Three Sixty)
78 Airport Boulevard, #01-223/224/225, Jewel Changi Airport (Nearest Terminal T1)
Tel: (Retail) +65 6242 8377 I (Restaurant) +65 6243 2466
Opening Hours: 9am – 11pm (Mon – Sun)

Legit Matcha Desserts At Jewel Changi Airport
If you are a sweet tooth or just needing a tea break while walking around Jewel Changi Airport, the JW360° café corner is for you.

Many travelers who walk by the shop would strike a pose with the sakura flowers at the entrance. Those are REAL flowers.

They have a range of cakes and gelato, with matcha and sakura specials, using Japanese ingredients like matcha, adzuki bean, and wasanbon, an expensive fine-grained Japanese sugar made from Shikoku sugarcane.

The must-get is the Japanese Gelato ($7.50) with 2 flavours topped with sweet potato. Flavours include Japanese Whiskey, Caramel Walnut, Soba-Cha (interesting), Matcha Milk, Sweet Potato, Hoji-cha and Black Sesame.

The Goma I dare say with its rich and intense flavour, is possibly THE BEST black sesame gelato I had in Singapore.

The picturesque Matcha Mont Blanc ($9.00) with Japanese chestnut paste is my personal favourite; while Matcha Mille Feuille ($9.00) with matcha butter, custard and sweet chestnut are both art-on-a-plate. JW360° (JEWEL Changi Airport)

MAISON de PB by Paris Baguette
#02-200 Jewel Changi Airport, 80 Airport Boulevard, Singapore 819642
Tel: +65 6743 7900
Opening Hours: 9am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

European Dining, Brunch And Prettiest Desserts At JEWEL
This is a double-storey space at Jewel Changi Airport.

On the lower level is a more casual bakery-café concept, where you can get your selection of salads, soups, savoury, and mains, pasta, and European-style breads and pastries.

The upper level is done up contemporary restaurant-style, where you can order mains.

Get the Pain Coeur ($5.50). It is a heart-shaped bread added ingredients like lemon peel, white chocolate chips and diced strawberry to add nuances in flavours.

If you have a liking for that unique melon taste, try the Melon Mountain Tart ($12) which uses the muskmelon variety. The mound of monochromatic chunks are mixed with fresh cream and a refreshing lime-flavoured jelly. Maison de PB (JEWEL Changi Airport)

The Affogato Lounge
55 Keong Saik Road, #01-02, Singapore 089158
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm (Tues – Sun), Closed Mon

Affogato Specialty Cafe With Well-Designed Interior
The Affogato Lounge is a spin-off from The Affogato Bar at Cluny Court Bukit Timah Road, specialising in alcoholic infused affogatos, micro-batch ice cream, and Italian bites such as Paninis, Bowls and Baked Quiches (available from 8am to 5pm).

Beyond the attractive turquoise coloured façade, the interior certainly looked artfully-designed, with geometric wooden panelling, mood lighting, and contemporary vibes.

The Affogatos are certainly the highlight of the menu, but so is the pricing – from $14 to $20. The highlight being the alcoholic Tiramisu ($20) served with a double shot of Paramount and house blend liquor. The Affogato Lounge (Keong Saik)

Glyph Supply Co
111 Somerset Road, #01-06, Singapore 238164
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 8:30pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 8:30pm (Sat – Sun)

Minimalist White Café Found At Somerset
Glyph Supply Co. has been attracting quite a fair bit of customers, because it is an artisanal café with quite an “instagrammable” interior.

Coffee is priced at $4.50 for the black, $5.50 for the white, Coldbrew at $6.00, while iced versions cost $1 extra. For non-coffee drinkers, there is also offering of Matcha ($6.00) and Chocolate ($6.00).

This is slightly pricier than what you find in other hipster cafes in the neighbourhoods, but I suppose they have high rentals to pay.

Bakes are from Carpenter & Cook, and you get a rotational selection from Lemon Tart, Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel Tart, Passionfruit Meringue Tart, Almond Croissant, Pain Au Chocolat, to savoury bites of Mushroom Quiche, and Ham and Cheese Croissant. Glyph Supply Co. (TripleOne Somerset)

Compiled by * Compiled by Daniel Ang @DanielFoodDiary, Nicholas Tan @juicyfingers, and Song Yu @__sy_g.

[Hong Kong] This is one of those indie coffee places in bustling Hong Kong Central that you may just walk and miss.

When I saw photos of the space online with its slick golden-brass interior and forward design, I knew I had to put it somewhere in my packed itinerary. I have a thing for geometry and slick lines.

Located in the heart of Central, Interval Coffee Bar is a hangout spot that transforms from an artisanal coffee shop at day to a sleek & chic bar at night.

It is found near the new and popular Chua Lam’s Pho 蔡瀾越南粉.

If Wellington Street sounds familiar to you, the shop is not too far a walk away from Tsim Chai Kee 沾仔记 and Mak’s Noodles 麥奀雲吞麵世家.

Local design studio Hintegro took care in creating a not-so-common Scandinavian-themed space, with organic elements such as algae paint, brass and marble.

It is not every day you see this kind of design in the middle of a bustling business area.

This commuter-friendly place is just a 5 to 10 minutes’ walk from Exit D2 of Central MTR Station.

When I walked in, I did the immediate thing of finding a paper menu of sorts, then I realised it was projected on the wall. How cool is that.

The coffee menu is rather limited to the very basic, ranging from Espresso (HKD28), Macchiato (HKD33), Black (HKD38, 42), White (HKD42, 46), Brown which is Mocha (HKD46, 50), Grey with non-dairy milk (HKD48, 52), to Bubble with soda (HK48).

For their specials, they have Pink Roselle Lemonade (HK48), and Goldy Turmeric Latte (HKD48).

Like in some other coffee shops, almond milk is available as a non-dairy alternative for their coffee. Yes, if you’re lactose-intolerant, order the Grey.

As for the food, both the café and bar menus are curated by Twins Kitchen in Hong Kong, run by Joshua and Caleb Ng.

Using only fresh ingredients and creative techniques, they feature some of the most inventive, and often seasonal, dishes you can find in the area, and recommended dishes include Sweet Corn & Freeze-fried Vegetables with sous-vide egg and sourdough (HKD78) and Pumpkin with Crab Meat (HKD78).

Pastries like croissants and Danish pastries are often part of the café menu, from the usual such as Avocado Toast (HK108), Pain au Chocolat (HK25), Lemon Cake (HKD25) and Banana Cake (HK24).

Outside its usual operations, Interval Coffee Bar hosts activities and pop up F&B events. Some of the best bartenders in Hong Kong and beyond, such as Martin Hukak, Bjorn Frantzen and Nick Tse, have graced these events to the delight of many hard-core bar goers.

Note that there is a minimum order of 1 drink per person for dine-in customers.

Cool, hidden place to check out when you are in the vicinity.

Interval Coffee Bar
UG/F, 33 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2570 7568
Opening Hours: 8am – 8pm (Mon – Fri), 10am – 8pm (Sat), Closed Sun
https://www.facebook.com/intervalcoffeebar
Google Maps – Interval Coffee Bar

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

Brown Sugar Lava Xiao Long Bao? Time to get more adventurous with food.

The popular home-grown restaurant brand Paradise Dynasty from Paradise Group has launched its brand-new outlet at the Suntec City Mall (at the basement at Fountain of Wealth dining area).

The 102-seater restaurant is ready to welcome you and the hungry professionals working in the area for their lunch or dinner meals.

Renowned for its innovative Xiao Long Bao offerings, Paradise Dynasty commemorates its new outlet with an equally new XLB variant.

Be among the first to try their latest creation, the Brown Sugar Lava Xiao Long Bao perfected after weeks of research.

Your gastronomic exploration does not stop at the Xiao Long Bao. You will discover the eight cuisines of China – Anhui, Cantonese, Fujian, Hunan, Jiangsu, Shandong, Sichuan and Zhejiang, all under one roof!

Ready to whet your appetites? Read on with these recommended dishes from Paradise Dynasty:

Brown Sugar Lava Xiao Long Bao 黑糖流沙小笼包 (Exclusive to Suntec City outlet)
Exclusively available as an off-menu item at the new outlet, the limited-edition Brown Sugar Lava Xiao Long Bao was specially developed by Paradise Dynasty’s kitchen team as a new item for its customers.

This special rendition of Xiao Long Bao, inspired by the brown sugar milk trend, actually began as an April Fool’s Day joke and ended as a transformation of the popular bubble tea drink into a hot steamed dish.

Pleated using Paradise Dynasty’s golden formula of 18 exquisite folds, the Brown Sugar Lava Xiao Long Bao (five pieces per basket) has a delicately thin two-toned skin that house an addictive combination of molten brown sugar and coconut strips.

As it is a sweet dish, this is served as a dessert after your main items.

Common ways of eating this: Bite into it and the brown sugar lava oozes out with bits of coconut for added texture and flavor; or pop the entire dumpling into your mouth (be careful if it is steaming hot).

This actually kind of reminded me of Ondeh Ondeh. (Not for sale. Check out the end of the post to find out how to redeem.)

Signature Original Xiao Long Bao 招牌原味小笼包 ($8.50 for 6 pieces, $12.80 for 10 pieces)
The Brown Sugar Lava Xiao Long Bao is no less exciting, but there is something in the Original Xiao Long Bao that draws customers to them through the years.

Do you know that the signature soup weighs exactly 25 grams each piece, and pleated unerringly with 18 delicate folds – the ideal procedure in crafting the perfect Xiao Long Bao.

You will find the soup filling skilfully encased in a light, delicate skin.

Specialty Dynasty Xiao Long Bao – 8 Flavours ($16.80 for 8 pieces)
Paradise Dynasty is also known to introduce the world’s eight-colour fusion Xiao Long Bao, which features 7 unique flavours and, of course, the original Xiao Long Bao.

Your palate will embark on a journey through 7 creative tastes, including ginseng (green), foie gras (brown), black truffle (black), crab roe (orange), cheese (yellow), garlic (grey) and Szechuan (orange).

Everyone has different favourites, but my vote would go the black truffle for that added aroma as you savour the juice ‘exploding’ in your mouth.

Good news if you’re not a fan of artificial, as the skin colouring is made by natural ingredients like carrot, spinach and red sorghum.

Century Egg with Vinaigrette and Chilli Oil 烧椒皮蛋 ($5.80)
You can start your meal with an appetiser delicacy of sliced Century Egg served with a mix of vinaigrette and chili oil.

These preserved eggs have a dark greenish yolk that has a smooth, creamy consistency and a strong flavour, while the dark brown jelly surrounding it has a salty taste to contrast the tart vinaigrette dressing.

This dish’s portion size makes it perfect for sharing around the table.

Radish Pastry 萝卜丝酥饼 ($6.80 for 3 pcs)
Another must-try appetiser is this savoury radish pastry, made by stir-frying cut up radish, then wrapping the cooked mixture in a flaky dough.

The filled pastry is deep-fried for eight minutes until the dough turns crisp and flaky.

To be precise, the pastry shell is comprised of 54 layers (haven’t got to counting them). These multi-layers of fried dough result in a light and fluffy pastry that inevitably crumbles with every bite.

Enjoy this Radish Pastry as you would a flaky messy croissant but with a moist savoury vegetable filling.

Double-boiled Pork Rib with Cabbage Soup 清炖菜胆排骨汤 ($11.80)
The double-boiled pork rib with cabbage soup features superior soup stock boiled using Chinese Jinhua ham, old hen and pork over 8 hours.

Cabbage and pork ribs are then added and brewed for another half an hour, giving the nourishing soup a tinge of sweetness.

Drunken Chicken 李白醉鸡 ($9.80)
In this playfully named appetiser (inspired by the famous rice wine drinking poet Li Bai of ancient China), the Drunken Chicken is “made drunk” by giving it shots of yellow wine.

The alcoholic liquid is combined with soy sauce to form a marinade, infused with sliced ginger, spring oil and pepper.

This intoxicating marinating process creates a deep tasting and flavourful meat.

Talk about convenience, they even debone the drumstick before serving. Now all you have to do is dig in.

Fried Rice in Shanghai Style 上海炒饭 ($12.80)
The new outlet highlights one of Paradise Dynasty’s all-time best-selling dish, their special Fried Rice prepared Shanghai Style.

Order these plump yet fluffy grains of rice, masterfully wok-fried along with a medley of shrimp, minced pork, chopped kailan, egg, and other classic Shanghai seasonings.

A simple yet aromatic dish.

Crispy Pork Chop 香酥猪排 ($11.00)
Both adults and kids should enjoy the Crispy Pork Chop, another popular dish that has been well-loved for years.

Its unique flavour is developed by the special combination of ingredients in the marinade.

Marinated in soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, five spice powder, scallion, ginger and garlic, the pork chops are battered then fried ‘til the edges are crispy while the interior stays moist and flavourful.

Stir-fried French Bean with Minced Pork and Preserved Olive Vegetable 肉碎榄菜干煸四季豆 ($12.80)
As you order your meal, don’t forget to add some greens to your selection. Try their French Beans that are stir-fried in scallion oil, oyster sauce, bean paste, spring onions, and soy sauce, then combined with minced pork and preserved olives.

For that extra oomph, a splash of yellow wine is added for flavour.

Paradise Dynasty Suntec City Opening Promotion
Post a photo/video of Paradise Dynasty on Instagram or Facebook to receive a complimentary basket of Brown Sugar Lava Xiao Long Bao (5 pieces). Include the hashtags #dynastysuntec #paradisegrpsg and #paradisedynasty.

Remember to show the post to the Paradise Dynasty server to redeem your FREE basket of Brown Sugar Lava Xiao Long Bao.

T&C:
– Valid from 25 May till 30 June 2019
– Limited to 100 baskets per day.
– One redemption per table per bill

In addition, Citibank, Standard Chartered Credit and Debit cardholders & PGR members get 50% OFF the food bill on 25 & 26 May 2019 (Sat, Sun).

Paradise Dynasty – Suntec City
3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City Mall #B1-110, Singapore 038983
Opening Hours: 11.00am – 10.00pm Last order 9.30pm (Mon – Fri)
10.30am – 10.00pm Last order 9.30pm (Sat, Sun & PH)

* This entry is brought to you in partnership with Paradise Dynasty.

Marine Parade Central Market & Food Centre has finally made its return, after months of delay due to renovations and overhaul of its drainage system.

Good news, and the not-so-good.

The food centre now is more spacious, airy, with cleaner environment and washrooms.

However, many of the shutters still remain down and it seems like a good proportion of the stalls are not taken up yet. (I shall leave it to other media outlets with good journalism skills to do some thorough feature pieces.)

Many regulars are of course concerned if their favourites are back. The first question I received on IG was, ”Is the Curry Puff stall there?”

Sorry to announce, but the famous Katong Chicken Curry Puff owners are said to be retired. The other well-loved Mr Wong’s Seremban Beef Noodles is nowhere to be seen.

I found Qiu Rong Ban Mian (previously from Roxy Square) at Old Airport Road Food Centre; while it was previously reported that Katong (Jago) Teochew Mee Pok Kway Teow Mee stall has relocated to Block 80 Marine Parade Central.

After a look around, I noted that there are several chain stalls as well, ie these are familiar names that can be found at many other food centres.

Is this food centre losing (or has lost) some of its original personality and colour?

Talking about colours, my observation was that most of the stalls were using common type of white plates and brown-coloured cutlery. Then it made me miss those unique orange, green, purple, red plates and bowls that gave the hawker food more character. OH WELL.

A thing to note: there is now a centralised tray-return system, and do remember to pay extra 50 cents if you get a tray. The money can be refunded after the tray is returned.

Here are some of the Marine Parade Food Centre stalls to look out for: (Note that opening hours are indicative and subjected to change, as many stall owners/helpers I talked to are taking a wait-and-see attitude.)

Apollo Fresh Cockle Fried Kway Teow
#01-27 84 Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre
Opening Hours: 8am till sold out (Mon – Sun)

One of the star stalls of Marine Parade Food Centre. Regulars who grew up eating this hawker dish would heave a sigh of relief.

The Fried Kway Teow ($4) is quite unlike any others you would find in Singapore. It is known to be WET, though this current version I had was not as wet as how I remembered it to be.

The rice noodles were paler than usual, without the strong sweet dark sauce, fried with garlicky notes. The egg is cooked till almost disintegrated into the dish, thus you won’t find bigger pieces of them.

Still tasty and slurpy, but could have more wok-hei.

Kun Ji
#01-25 84 Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre
Opening Hours: 10am – 6pm or earlier when sold out (Mon – Sun)

The stall that attracted the longest queue during lunch time, Kun Ji is known for its Braised Duck, Roasted Duck and Char Siew Rice (each $3.50).

You can also add on other ingredients such as Braised Egg, Duck Wing, Tau Kua, Duck Liver, Tau Pok and Mui Choy for additional 50 cents.

With all that ingredients and portion, I must say this is quite generous.

The rice had a beautiful shade of brown, moist and flavourful; while the duck meat was relatively tender and not that gamey. I happened to like the char siew better, with beautiful caramelisation and tender-to-the-bite.

Xing Long Cooked Food
#01-20 84 Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre
Opening Hours: 11am – 8:30pm (Mon – Sun)

The corner stall Chap Chye Png that attracts a constant line.

They serve up an assortment of items from Omelette, Pork Knuckles, Prawn Fritter, Braised Pork Belly and Vegetables, but people often recommend the Otah-Otah, Tempura Fish and Ngoh Hiang.

There is also choice of plain white rice, or brown rice.

Perhaps I went later in the evening, the food I generally had was towards the cold side, so it’s didn’t “wow” me that much. At least they had a variety of chilli sauces that enhanced the taste.

Service was quick and friendly.

Neptune Hong Kong Dim Sum
#01-26 84 Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre
Opening Hours: 8am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

Dependable Hong Kong style dim sum made fresh on the spot. Variety is quite extensive (considering a small stall) from Fresh Shrimp Chee Cheong Fun ($3.60), Steamed Shrimp Dumplings ($3.60), Crystal Dumplings ($3.60), Char Siew Bao ($3.60), Glutinous Rice ($3.60), to Xiao Long Bao ($3.80).
Other more interesting items include Bamboo Charcoal Durian Bao ($3.80), Hakka Yong Tau Fu ($3.80), Crispy Durian Spring Roll ($4.50), and Mushroom Chicken with Rice ($4.00).

The Chee Cheong Fun was made fresh on the spot, complete with slippery skin, tasty fillings and addictive (somewhat salty) soy-based sauce. If only the skin was thinner and silkier, this would have been a winner.

I enjoyed the Siew Mai ($3.80) which was fresh, meaty and succulent, served steaming hot.

Soon Soon Soon Wanton Noodles
#01-16 84 Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)

Soon Soon Soon Wanton Noodles may just remind you of Pontian Noodles from the signboard, offerings to presentation, though I actually prefer to usual SG Pontian Noodles marginally better. Opps.

Available are Wanton Noodles (weirdly priced at $3.30), Abalone Noodles ($4), Chicken Cutlet Noodles ($4), and Fried Wantons ($3.30).

From the noodle texture, thin and dry char siew to deep fried wanton, this screams “Pontian”.

However, the mixture of sauce seems slightly off, and both noodles and soup could be hotter?

Aziza Putu Piring
#01-02 84 Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre
Opening Hours: 8:30am – 7:30pm (Mon – Sun)

Ever since Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring appeared on Netflix’s Street Food, I paid more attention to Putu Piring.

Putu Piring is an all-time favourite Malay kueh made of rice flour and steamed in a plate-like mould also known as ‘piring’.

Aziza offers theirs with flavours of Gula Melaka ($1.80), Peanuts ($2.20), Coconut ($2.20), Durian ($2.70) and Nutelle ($2.70). Prices quoted are for packets of 3 pieces.

I loved that the outer layer was soft with fresh coconut shavings, though I thought there could be more gula melaka for more balanced flavours. Would be better if it could ooze out more.

Other items sold include Creamy Chicken Puff, Beef Curry Puff, Goreng Pisang, Deep Fried Sweet Potato and Chempedak.

Teh Tarik Café
#01-01 84 Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre
Opening Hours: 7:30am – 8pm (Mon – Sun)

The famous stall here used to be Hilmi Sarabat Teh Tarik Power.

Got myself a Iced Teh Tarik from the first stall – it was smooth and not too sweet. Other drinks sold include Lychee, Longan, Lassi, Teh Masala, Milo Dinosaur to the lesser-seen Horlicks Dinosaur.

Four Seasons Cendol
#01-31 84 Marine Parade Central Market and Food Centre
Opening Hours: 8am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)

Four Seasons Cendol is commonly recognized by many to serve one of the best cendol in Singapore.

However, I noted that the dessert wasn’t served in one of the signature bowls and didn’t have the iconic dome drizzled with gula melaka.

Auntie said they had been instructed to use the assigned white plastic bowls, and there wasn’t much they could do. Their “SOP” seem to be disrupted due to the different container, and somehow the proportion of ingredients didn’t seem as balanced as the Toa Payoh outlet.

The Cendol ($2.20) contains attap seeds, red beans, thick green jelly and ice shavings drizzled with gooey gula melaka. Still not bad, but not as impressive as what I previously had.

D’Authentic Nasi Lemak, Tip Top Western Food, Yi Lu Fa Hong Kong Style Roasted Meat, Yok Mari Yok Nasi Padang, are still around, though some were not opened when I visited.

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

[Hong Kong] When you talk about “Best Egg Tarts In Hong Kong”, familiar names from Tai Cheong Bakery, Honolulu Cafe and Kam Wah Cafe & Bakery may come to mind.

A few readers from Hong Kong told me about Bakehouse at Wan Chai, in which its Egg Tarts have been selling like hot cakes.

Born and bred (or should I say, bread?) in Hong Kong, Bakehouse is an artisan bakery & café that creates naturally leavened sourdough bread and Danish pastries.

It is founded by Swiss chef Grégoire Michaud, recognised by Tatler in 2013 as the Best Pastry Chef for Hong Kong and Macau. He was the Executive Pastry Chef from Four Seasons Hong Kong, so quality can be assured.

What’s so special about this Bakehouse Egg Tart (HKD12), is the sourdough croissant crust.

That means the outer layer is made with the same dough as what they use for croissants.

A pop in the mouth would reveal that fragrant, buttery AND flaky shell, with warm, eggy and smooth custard fillings that would just slide down you throat.

This is really good stuff.

Chef Grégoire Michaud’s inspiration plus availability of seasonal ingredients have also created an ever-changing selection of baked products.

Needless to say, buying a loaf of sourdough here is a must.

Bakehouse sources the best ingredients, ie artisanal flour from Suire Mill in France, and doesn’t take shortcuts when making it, using a long and slow fermentation process and a high hydration level.

It takes 48 hours to craft each one of their loaves, baking them in a stone-deck oven to produce that distinct sourdough flavour.

The same kind of devotion is applied to crafting their pastries. Viennoiseries like pain au chocolat and croissants are baked fresh daily, and scoot out of the oven by 8am.

The sweet Danish pastries come out a little later, around 11am. And in the afternoon, the fresh scones and tarts make their entrance to join you during tea time.

Another item I thought worth mentioning was its Matcha Cream Bun (HKD28), with a little surprise coming from the azuki red beans.

In case your taste buds have a penchant for savouries, check out their savoury tarts and pastries available all day long.

Breakfast is available on weekdays (excluding public holidays) from 8am to 11am.

Fuel up with the Big Breakfast (HKD138) which comes with two fried eggs, streaky bacon, Toulouse sausage, Portobello mushroom, tomatoes and toasted sourdough, or make it a Breakfast Sandwich (HKD68), made with streaky bacon or sausage, fried egg, aged Cheddar, house sauce, and a toasted milk bun.

Lunch options include soup, salad, and sandwiches and offered as a la carte or as a set (HKD108, 2 courses; HKD138, 3 courses). Brunch is available on weekends and public holidays (9am-5pm).

This local bakery also serves coffee and cocktails.

There is always a line here, especially if you come during brunch hours of the weekends.

Put this on your list if sour dough breads and croissants are your thing. If you are in a rush and can’t spare time for a meal, at least do a takeaway of the egg tart.

Bakehouse Hong Kong
14 Tai Wong St E, Wan Chai, Hong Kong (Wan Chai MTR Station Exit B2)
灣仔大王東街14號地舖
Opening Hours: 8am – 5pm (Mon – Fri), 9am – 5pm (Sat, Sun, PH)
https://www.facebook.com/bakehousehk
Google Maps – Bakehouse Hong Kong

Click HERE for other HONG KONG Food Entries

* Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.

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